lab refuses copies

I know I've read about people being denied thier lab results but my search skills seem to be hiding out with my brain somewhere far, far away.
   Yesterday after they finished pulling the spade out of my vein, I casually mentioned wanting a copy of my lab results. The blank face said that was up to my Doc. So I showed her the words saying, send a copy to patient. And I hope she will. She did save me the trouble of going postal on her. I pay for the damn tests, its my body blah, blah, blah.
   So what legal rights does some poor schnook in California have to thier test results anyway? Anyone know?

[copyman]

this is all about the hippa privicy laws. as long as you sign the hippa papers (if nesscery) then you are entitled to YOUR labs! dont let anyone tell you otherwise. labcorp sends me mine but i dont get them for around 5 days after doc gets his faxed to him, i guess it gives the doc time to call you to go over them before you see them.

[bobbyullc]

i got every one of mine and i suggest you do to. stay in control. i never heard of this.

[sallyo]

I get the results before the doctor.  Actually it is faster for me to get them and fax them to the doc than to wait for the lab to send them. I sign for them and fill out a simple form and show them my picture ID.  Maybe the laws are different on California.  I am in Florida.  No one has ever questioned me about it and I've been doing this for years

[copyman]

labcorp will not fax them to patient in NJ, only to the doc.

[orphanedhawk]

I will get them but it irritates me that I even have to ask. I don't get them from my doctor because they charge $15 for copies. I refuse to pay that at of principle.

[copyman]

they got a lot of guts charging $15 for the labs. as my name indicates i'm in the copy business and it costs the doc less then 1 CENT per page! less then a penny per page factoring in maint/repairs,toner & paper.

[jmjm530]

Every state has different laws. Some states allow the labs to talk directly to the patient, others don't, etc, etc,. In some states you can actually get certain basic tests without a doctor's rx but I doubt you could get a TMA like that :)

-- Jim

[orphanedhawk]

I think its the office staff. The doctor's are good. The office is a mess, like the back of a poorly run restaurant, true chaos.

[Kalio1]

Sorry to hear about the front office problems, they can really affect your health. Lousy, sloppy front office handling of my files nearly killed me once, they misfiled a positive lab slip that showed I had a bad infection but the doctor never saw the report! You are right to be concerned. I would complain directly to the doctor about the situation, after all it is going to be his arse if something goes wrong, he is the one that will pay for their shoddy work.

15 bucks for a copy is an outrage. You have a legal right to a copy and should not have to pay for so much for it but ofen the lab will not send results without prior doctor OK, that is the doc's dept. in California but he can arrange so the lab will give you a copy. If you sign the paperwork for HIPPA with your doc, he can see to it that the lab sends you a copy, he can note it on the paperwork.
It's so frustrating having some dipsy girl in charge of our health! they dont pass on messages or get the message wrong, it's scary. Plus some of them act like they think they are doctors!

[avidreader]

My sister goes to Budapest for her dental work so I know what you are talking about! In my case I couldn't get my labs unless my doctor specifically wrote on the scrip that the patient could get a copy but it sounds like your doc already did that. My frustration was that neither lab or doc's office would fax to my office even though I explained to them that 1) the fax machine was in my office, 2) that I was the boss, and 3) that everyone in my office (and pretty much everyone I talked to) knew I was treating for HepC. While I respected their desire to protect and guard patient privacy in general it irritated me that they wouldn't even do it with a release from me. I always ended up getting copies of my labs when I went to my monthly appointment with the NP. Good luck.

[orphanedhawk]

I did show the girl at the lab that it does indeed say to send me a copy. She actually tried to talk me into changing doctors. She likes this other guy and as far as I could figure, it was because she likes his paperwork and he looks like Paul McCartney!  
   And people wonder why I fly to Bangkok to go the dentist!

[ladybug52]

Just had it out with my dr.s office for the exact same reason. I had lab work done on Dec 20th. I asked that the nurse call me once she got them in. I called on the 26th and said I wanted my lab results, left a message with receptionist. I get a call around 3 asking which labs I meant I said 'the only one I've had drawn, Dec 20th' She replies "Yeah they're in" I waited for more info then finally asked "Well can you tell me the results?"
"No"
"Well Can you fax me a copy?"
"No"
"Well how am I supposed to find out what's on them?"
"You can come here and look at them"
I drive in the rain through construction get a ticket for being in the wrong lane while I was lost and finally get to the office for MY lab report.
"Can you explain the low red blood cells and hematrocrit?"
"No"
Took my copy amd went to another Dr. on Tues. I'm much happier :)

[Lady E]

I agree that it is our right to have our own records, but because of HIPA we do have to sign a release. My lab WAS mailing them to me, but about a month ago I was told that the rules have changed. They are not allowed to mail or fax the records due to the risk of privacy. I now have to go into the lab and pick them up in person.

[sunspot]

When I first started to ask for lab copies the office went into a tizzy like they never heard of such a thing happening before. I had to sign forms and provide ID, even though I

[NYgirl]

They never SEND me the results automatically.  I call after each test when I know the results are there, ask for the nurse and then have her FAX me the test results right then and there.

They are OUR test results and we have a full RIGHT to the paperwork.  I mean what if you need to get a second opinion or go to another doctor and all that?  They aren't their test results their OURS.

CBCs / Hep Panels usually come back the next day so I call about 4pm and have her fax them to me. I wait about 5 biz days for pcr results.

Call them. Ask them kindly to fax them to you. They are YOURS but don't trust that they are going to just remember to do it...my experience in life is that people do as little as they have to to get by at work sometimes.

I have a copy of every piece of paper that had to do with any test I've had and let me tell you - it's CRUCIAL!

[APKhaos]

2 X what sunspot said.

We all need copies of ALL our labs. We have more time and motivation to study them carefully, and to track trends that can easily be missed by any Dr, and busy PCPs in particular. Its not about self treatment, its about carefully monitoring the progress of this disease and TX.

I think HIPPA guarantees that we each have the right to control our medical records, which includes the right to receive a copy of them. Maybe some Dr's offices are still in denial about that aspect of HIPPA.

[jmjm530]

On the Quest lab requistion form there's a line where the doctor can fill in the name of another doctor (or your name) and fax number, for duplicate results. If I had the blood drawn at a Quest Center -- as opposed to at my docs office -- I highlighted that section with yellow marker.

This system worked around 90% of the time and often I got the results before my doctor. When I didn't get the fax, I simply called my NP and they faxed me the results.

In other cases, such as ultrasound procedures, I often called the lab directly. Sometimes you would get the "I can only send it to your doctor" stuff but you'd be suprised how effective mentioning the phrase's "HIPPA Law" and "My patient rights" got around that, especially when requesting to speak to a supervisor at the same time.

Best time to get this all straightened out is when you sit down with your doctor or NP before you start to treat. Tell them you want a copy of every blood test as soon as results are ready, and work out a procedure right then.

-- Jim

[orphanedhawk]

The more of us who demand our paperwork, which we pay for, whether its from our insurance or out of our pocket, the quicker the labs will understand who is actually in charge. I have never signed a consent to turn my life over to any doctor. And they are always pleased to get my paperwork.

[latecomer]

I called up my doctor's nurse, with whom I have been very careful to cultivate a good relationship , and told her I was going to see my general practictioner the next day to coordinate on other meds she was prescribing me and asked  her to fax me all my labs, which she did at no charge.  (I signed the hippa forms for the doctors office the first day I was in there so they can legally fax to me).  My doc probably doesn't know the nurse is helping me. However, he may be about to find out I am seeking a 2nd opinion, because we aren't communicating real well.

[Better_Angels]

Sadly, it is not our legal "right" to have our lab tests sent directly to us from the lab itself. See below -