Critical Result Notifications: What Do Providers Really Think?

Abstract Introduction/Objective Timely communication of critical test results, those that are significantly outside expected ranges and potentially life-threatening, is crucial in patient care. The Joint Commission and other regulatory bodies, such as CMS, CAP, mandate that hospitals have an alert system for reporting critical values. Traditionally, our hospital system communicates these results through phone calls to the responsible licensed provider, a system that has remained unchanged despite the rise of electronic health records. To assess the perception of this system and providers’ readiness to utilize new communication methods, we conducted a survey among healthcare professionals in our institution. Methods/Case Report We sent a survey to all providers via broadcast email. It contained 10 questions, some with free-text input, others with categorical or multiple-choice responses. The survey was open for 4 weeks with 2 reminder emails. Of 544 providers who opened the survey, 191 completed it (35.1% completion rate). The majority (84%) of respondents were physicians, with a smaller portion (15%) identifying as advanced practitioners. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) Most providers reported using multiple modes to check critical results and did not rely solely on lab notifications, though a minority (7%) depended on phone calls. Only 2 respondents used the smartphone app (EPIC Haiku) for checking results. Notably, over 67% of providers were unfamiliar with different methods of critical result notification, yet nearly 82% indicated they were open to adopting a new system. A significant proportion (more than a third) felt that phone calls distracted from patient care, suggesting that alternate methods of communication could be beneficial. Despite this, 62% of respondents found these calls useful. However, more than a third did not find the calls helpful, indicating a possible need for improved communication methods. Conclusion The survey indicates that while the current system of critical result notifications is useful to many providers, there are clear opportunities for improvement. Implementing secure, smart systems and increasing awareness of these new communication modalities may help reduce distractions and streamline critical result communication. This could also offer providers a customizable approach to receiving notifications, enhancing both patient care and workflow efficiency.