Handling Laboratory Results Sent by Mail

When laboratory results are physically mailed to patients or healthcare providers, it's important to follow proper procedures to ensure that results are processed efficiently, remain confidential, and are appropriately shared with the relevant care team members. Here are some guidelines on what to do when you receive laboratory results that are sent by mail:

1. Clarify the Lab's Sending Process to the Patient

If a patient is expecting laboratory results, always remind them to ensure that their lab results are sent directly to your Rocket Doctor profile. This will ensure that the results are appropriately logged and accessible through the secure patient portal.

• Action: Verify with the lab or the patient to make sure that results are sent to the correct Rocket Doctor profile or electronic record system.

2. Invite the Patient to Rebook After Testing

After the patient has completed their blood tests or other lab work, you should schedule a follow-up appointment to review the results together. This ensures that you have the opportunity to explain the findings and provide further care if needed.

• Action: Send the patient an invitation to rebook an appointment after their test or lab results have been completed, so they have a chance to discuss the results with you.

3. Scanning and Sending Mailed Results Using MD Portal

When lab results are physically mailed to you (or to the patient), you'll need to scan them and upload the information to the system to ensure they are recorded and communicated to the appropriate team.

Scanning the Results: If you are scanning results on your phone or using a dedicated scanner, make sure that the document is clear and legible. Using a scanning app on your phone can be a quick and effective solution.

For example, there are many reliable apps available, such as CamScanner or Adobe Scan, that can improve the quality of a photo and turn it into a more readable document. These apps often help in formatting the image for clearer viewing.

Tip: If you're using a phone camera, make sure the document is well-lit and the photo is as clear as possible. Avoid blurry images.

Sending the Scanned Results: Once you have a clear scan of the results, use the internal faxing feature within the MD Portal to send the document to the Patient Care Admin team for further processing.

Reminder: If you use a scanning app, remember that you must delete any sensitive images from your device after uploading them to ensure patient privacy and compliance with HIPAA or other privacy regulations. For security reasons, avoid storing patient information on your phone or personal cloud storage unless absolutely necessary.

For Clinical Practices with Scanners: If your clinic has a dedicated scanner, simply scan the documents into the system as you normally would. Ensure that the scanned file is uploaded to the internal portal and sent to the appropriate admin team for further processing.

Important Notes:

• Patient Privacy: Be mindful of patient privacy when handling, scanning, or transmitting medical records. Avoid storing sensitive information on your phone or personal devices unless it's for immediate use and is appropriately secured.
• Internal Faxing (eFax): Use the eFax function in the MD portal to send scanned documents directly to the Patient Care Admin team. This ensures secure and efficient transmission of medical information.

Handling mailed lab results correctly is essential to maintaining the flow of patient care. By following these steps — ensuring results are sent to the correct profile, inviting patients to rebook for follow-up care, and scanning and securely sending the results to the admin team — you will help ensure smooth and efficient management of patient information.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to your support team for help with scanning or using the MD portal.