The 21st Century Cures Act: Immediate Release of Medical Test Results

September 15, 2022

You may have recently noticed that you are receiving medical test results (via email, smartphone, medical chart applications, etc.) before your provider/doctor has had a chance to see or review them. This is due to a federal law called the 21^st Century Cures Act (the “Cures Act”) which requires that health providers give patients access to all of their health information without delay. As a result of the Cures Act, you are likely receiving health information quite rapidly, which is the goal of the law.

However, you may not necessarily understand the information you are receiving or you may prefer to review the results with your care team. We would like to offer you some tips to assist you in dealing with these concerns.

1. If you see results marked as “abnormal,” remember that norms are preset by laboratories.
   “Normal” results may differ for each individual.
2. Even if a result is “abnormal” it may not be medically relevant unless it is combined with other factors. Talk to your provider/doctor before you draw conclusions about your results.
3. If you are concerned you may have a serious illness, or you are just generally nervous about viewing your results, it may be best to wait until your provider/doctor reviews and interprets them for you.
4. If you have taken more than one test, they may be published/made available to you at different times.

Although the Cures Act is viewed as a win for patient rights and transparency, immediate access to results before you are able to consult with a medical professional may cause stressful moments as well. If you have more specific questions about viewing or interpreting your medical test results, you should discuss them with your provider/doctor.