Abnormal Patient Test Results Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Follow-up of Abnormal Patient Test Results in Primary Care
IRAS ID
168736
Contact name
Sarah Patricia Slight
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 36 months, 0 days
Research summary
Pathology laboratories in the U.K. send approximately 50 million electronic results reports to GPs annually. Most tests are normal and do not require follow-up. However, the management of abnormal patient test results is a complex process. Failure to appropriately follow-up these results in a timely manner can have direct clinical consequences for patients, including missed diagnoses and delayed treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the follow-up of abnormal test results in U.K. primary care, and to explore staff experiences of where breakdowns might occur in the results management process.
We will obtain data on four commonly performed patient tests (e.g., mammograms, pap smears, PSAs, and INRs) in nine participating GP practices (Primary Care Sites). These tests are used for the early detection of breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, and for evaluation of blood coagulation, respectively. A combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques will be used. We will measure the frequency of failures at each step in the results management process. For those results that have appropriate follow-up documented, we will also collect data on the rate of timely follow-up of care. We would also like to interview staff across the nine GP practices to explore their experiences of where breakdowns might occur in the results management process, and how the follow-up of abnormal test results can be improved based on users’ experiences of current electronic systems.
REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1551
Date of REC Opinion
28 Sep 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion