GPs split over patients’ right to access vs potential for misinterpretation, but support seems to be growing…

As of Monday, patients have immediate access to most pathology reports via My Health Record or the ‘my health’ app – a change supported by 42% of around 750 GPs who responded to a snap Healthed poll Tuesday night.

The remaining 58% of those polled do not support the change implemented by the Australian Digital Health Agency this week, and they aren’t alone.

Last week the Royal College of Pathologists of Australia called for a delay, warning that proper safeguards were not in place and that laboratories “have not had the time or tools to prepare due to the absence of a definitive release list or a way to test their systems.”

When the changes were announced last May, a Healthed survey that covered immediate access to both pathology and diagnostic imaging results found 72% of over 1900 GP respondents had experiences where patients had misunderstood these results, causing avoidable distress or other consequences. More than a third (35%) said they had six or more such patients in the previous five years.

In that survey, more than three quarters of GPs did not support removing the seven-day buffer to allow instant access to most diagnostic imaging and pathology reports.

Since then, exceptions have been added so that patients will not have immediate access to anatomical pathology, cytopathology and genetic testing results, and this week’s survey suggests support for improving ease of access to pathology reports may be growing among GPs.

Which results are immediately available?

In addition to HbA1c, INR, COVID-19 and other respiratory infection tests, which patients could already access immediately, patients can now access results for more than 65 other categories of tests as soon as they are uploaded.

The full list is available on the ADHA website here.

However, patients will have to wait five days, down from seven, to see results of anatomical pathology, cytopathology, and genetic tests.

More changes are also coming next year. From February 2026, consumers will be able to immediately see x-ray reports for arms and legs, and they’ll be able to see other diagnostic imaging reports after five days, rather than seven.

What supporters are saying

Proponents of lifting the seven-day delay include patient advocacy groups such as Parkinson’s Australia, Diabetes Australia and Consumers Health Forum.

Consumers Health Forum CEO Dr Elizabeth Deveny says faster access will improve equity and transparency. “It gives healthcare consumers the chance to be more active partners in their care, ask questions sooner and make more informed decisions,” she added.

A number of GPs in Healthed’s survey this week agreed.

“I think it is a good step forward to encourage patients to be proactive with their healthcare,” one GP said.

Others felt it was a patient’s right, and some noted that just because someone sees the result in their own time, doesn’t mean they won’t want additional support from their GP.

“I always advise patients to come back to discuss their results. Most of my patients prefer to look at their results themselves but seem happy to return to discuss in a meaningful way,” another GP commented.

What’s worrying GPs?

The most common concerns among GPs were increased patient anxiety, and potential to misinterpret the results, as well as concerns about continuity of care and lack of follow up. Even some GPs who said they support the change acknowledged the problem.

“I mostly support this, as sometimes it is difficult to access reports and I feel patients have a right to know, but I can see situations where it will cause patients to panic unnecessarily,” one GP commented.

Some GPs are raising their eyebrows about some of the results that patients will have immediate access to – such as HIV testing.

“Apart from some situations like HIV or cancer histology, it’s good,” one GP said.

More comments from your colleagues

“I don’t believe patents can necessarily interpret their results, which may lead to increased anxiety, with increased demand for urgent appointments. For those who already think they know more than their GPs, this further moves us down the path to self-directed and consumer-driven medical care, already an issue with those who prefer Dr Google rather than an experienced GP.”

“I may have to spend more time discussing the results because patients may be anxious about minor discrepancies and also, they may google the results and raise extra concerns.”

“In the majority of cases it is probably fine, but I do not give patients their results by fax or email until I have spoken to them, even if it only a brief telephone call to tell them the results, especially if all is good. Patients should be supported because their interpretation could be incorrect.”

“Increased anxiety for some patients regarding minor anomalies will result in more phone calls and requests for appointments.”

“More patients lost to follow up (not returning for results as they can see themselves).”

“A big percentage of patients like to have access to their results.”

“I agree patients should have access to information with appropriate support.”

“It is good patients have access to their reports, I think they will still book in for reviews.”

“It will allow those patients interested in accessing results to have a better discussion of results and significance.”

“Lots of miscommunication. Young patients and time poor patients not booking follow up appointments and interpreting their results through Chat GPT and refusing to book appointments due to cost of consult. Lot of serious cases falling under the radar. Extra work chasing up patients for results because they have implications and end up doing a lot of work that we won’t get suitably remunerated on.”

“I fear the risk of patients deciding they can interpret their own results by googling ‘how to…’ – has already happened; even more time in consult to explain importance of follow up, which they then forget…”

“I imagine that many will not return for results or bother to ask about them or use them to give to their naturopaths.”