A Fresh Look at Results—and Reactions
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By
December 4, 2025
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3 min
A quality improvement study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center analyzed the impact of providing patient-friendly educational materials alongside laboratory test results on patient messaging. Evaluating over 829,902 test results in 2024, it found that the introduction of these resources led to only a 15-message reduction per week and negligible changes in communication patterns. Although primary care messaging decreased slightly, the consequences varied by test type and settings. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, underscores the complexity of patient engagement in medical communications.
1. Study conducted by Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 2. Analyzed 829,902 lab results from 205,139 patients in 2024. 3. Educational materials reduced patient messaging by 15 messages/week. 4. Significant decrease in messaging for primary care orders. 5. Increased messaging seen in specific test categories like microbial tests. 6. Study followed 21st Century Cures Act requirements. 7. Results indicate variability in communication patterns based on test type.
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