A doctor will give bad news over the phone although some will prefer to have you come in and discuss it with them in person and to make sure it's actually you they are talking too.
It can be bad news when a doctor wants you to come in to discuss test results instead of over the phone or it can just mean that they see something abnormal and want to discuss further and do further tests to rule out a possible condition.
When a doctor wants to discuss test results it means that something on the test is abnormal and needs to be addressed, or that the tests do not adequately address what they have tested for.
If a doctor wants to discuss test results in person they may want to perform some other tests and even refer you to a specialist doctor.
It can sometimes be bad news when a doctor wants to discuss test results but not always.
Sometimes you may need to know more than just "positive" or "negative from a test result."
At your doctors appointment, your doctor can explain options and tell you whether more testing is needed.
And if a disease is contagious, your doctor will want to talk in person about how to help you avoid future risks and protect other people.
Another reason for a doctor not wanting to give test results over the phone is because the doctor cannot be sure it's really you on the other line.
The doctor may want to discuss test results further that may take longer over the phone.
The doctor wants to reexamine you for a follow up and discuss your results.
The doctor may need to order further tests because the initial results all came back inconclusive.
Although in certain situations it is more feasible to disclose bad news by telephone.
Particularly, in case of a clinical deterioration or even sudden death of a patient, the imminent disclosure of the bad news over the phone might spare the next of kin a prolonged time of fearful uncertainty.
Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, laboratories will be required to provide patients with their completed test reports within 30 days of a request, but they will not be required to explain the results to patients.