For transparency this is a throwaway account because I’m active in the medlab sub on my main. For background I’ve been a clinical scientist for 25 years, almost half of the time as a traveler. At my current contract over the course of 3 months I have personally received the following calls…
-this is so and so with Dr X’s office. We’re waiting on the path report from 2 months ago. This patient has cancer. What is going on down there?
-Hi this is Jane Smith. I had a biopsy on 3/23 and the report isn’t back yet. Please help me
-this is Dr X. In full transparency I’m not calling on behalf of my patient but for my husband. I have been calling for two weeks for his report from 3/25. I’ve left several msgs with Dr Y( the pathologist) with no return phone call. I’ve left several msgs with your lab manager with no return phone call. He’s scheduled for another procedure tomo that is dependent upon that report. What is going on down there?
There are about 5 others but they are much of the same…my coworkers also receive these calls. So this is a known phenomenon
In my experience at the many hospitals I have worked at reports do not take this long. However I have no idea what the norm or “standard” is. Maybe I was fortunate enough to be at hospitals with a quick TAT…
So I come here to ask what is the norm? Should I be concerned for this patient population and their care? By the estimates of all of the staff the reports are about 3 months behind. At one point last year it was 6 months.
:::Edited for spelling and grammatical errors