Getting your medical test results directly from the labs means less bureaucracy.
Patients can now get their lab results directly from the labs without having to go through their healthcare provider. According to the ORC, 42% of Americans think having access to their test results would improve patient care and now they can finally access them themselves. Countless medical records are lost throughout the healthcare system every year, and by minimising the bureaucracy and cutting the “middle man”- less tests will get lost. Patients will also be able to ask for your previous lab results, so moving between doctors or getting a second opinion will be done without having to spend time and money doing the same tests over and over again.
Labs will become consumer service providers.
Labs will now start communicating directly with the consumers, and will become a consumer service provider instead of just a transparent, “ghost” provider to the patient. At a certain point, patients will start choosing labs according to the service they’re getting, and not just according to the deal signed between their clinic and the lab. Consumer pricing, level of service, online tools, and many other parameters labs didn’t think of until today, will now become an important criteria consumers can check, rate and ask about when choosing a lab.
Labs that will be the first to identify this great opportunity, can set the benchmark for this service by providing easy access to test results through patient portals and same day service for a premium fee. These labs will lead the market, and will generate the healthy competition patients are missing today, and this means better service for the patients.
Doctors just lost the “monopoly” over the patients medical records.
According to the latest Accenture survey, 84% of US consumers believe they should have full access to their medical records, while only 34% of doctors share this belief. Patients that want to understand their medical records can start doing that without having to wait for the “doctor’s verdict”. Does that mean that people will start skipping the doctor’s appointment and making medical decision on their own? I personally don’t believe so. Most people I know won’t sign an important legal agreement without consulting with their lawyer first, but they will definitely read it and try to understand it when it’s handed to them. When you have your test results with you, you can be better prepared for your upcoming doctor’s appointment and arrive with relevant questions and concerns. You are automatically encouraged to understand your medical condition, get engaged in your care and be more active in that process.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
More and more people take control their health and it’s happening faster than you think. The “young and healthy” consumers understand that they need to track and control their health – just ask the guys that are selling fitness wearable devices that already reached 75% of online US consumers. And it’s not just them, the health of the elderlies in the family is getting more and more attention as well. In a PEW survey performed in 2011, 30% of Americans defined themselves as “caregivers” that actively manage the health of a loved one. That number grew to 39% in 2013. More and more people understand that their family’s health is probably the most important asset that they can manage and are starting to take control.
Related content: New HHS lab rule: Empowering patients or set up for disaster?
