Study lays foundation for more patient access to medical records

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine suggests that many patients are dissatisfied with the way they receive results of radiology tests and want more access to information in their medical records, specifically, detailed, lay-language results from those tests.

The study, published today in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, reports that in general, patients are not happy with the way they receive information about radiology imaging tests, such as MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), CT (Computed Tomography, or "CAT") scans and ultrasounds, and how long it takes to get results

"Most of the patients in our study were decidedly dissatisfied with how they find out about their radiology test results," said Annette J. Johnson, M.D., M.S., an associate professor of radiology and lead investigator on the study. "Specifically, they were unhappy with the delay before getting results and the lack of detail when they do find out what the tests showed. The classic, most common story we heard was that the patient went to her doctor for a symptom such as pain, was sent for an MRI and then heard nothing until their next regular doctor's appointment. Then, when the patient asked what the MRI showed, her doctor gave a generic answer – 'Everything was fine.' The patients in our study said that they don't want to hear 'fine' weeks after the test. They want to know details and they want to know them as soon as the results are in."

For the study, researchers created two focus groups – one comprised of patients who had recently had an MRI with normal results and the other of patients who had recently had an abnormal MRI. A facilitator was brought in to ask the two groups open-ended questions separately about their experiences with the tests, their perceptions about which aspects of radiology information and access to results are important to patients, and what methods of results information access would be preferred by patients. The discussions were audiotaped and transcribed to analyze results.

"Typically, if you need a scan, your doctor sends you to a radiologist to get the test, but you never actually see or speak to the radiologist," Johnson said. "Some time later, commonly a few weeks later, you go back to your regular doctor, who gives you a brief summary of the results. Patients in our study aren't happy with that system. They want their results quickly, in writing, and they want detailed information about the test results in language they can understand."