A woman from the Hunter region received a positive bowel screening test result in October 2022 but was not informed until five months later. This delay led to a colonoscopy, which confirmed the presence of bowel cancer. Following her diagnosis, she underwent surgery for stage two cancer and has since recovered.
The woman had completed the bowel screening test through her general practitioner (GP), rather than participating in the national program that sends home testing kits to individuals over 50 every two years. During a follow-up appointment in late February 2023 for an unrelated issue, she learned from her GP that she had two positive results from her bowel test conducted months earlier. The GP allegedly stated, “You didn’t ring and follow up the results,” to which the woman responded, “I thought you’d ring me.”
This experience prompted her to raise awareness about the communication gaps between patients and healthcare providers. She chose to remain anonymous but emphasized the importance of public knowledge regarding the necessity of following up on test results. “Luckily, I had the best outcome,” she noted. “My concern is that many people may not be aware that they need to call for their results. There seems to be a huge gap in communication between some surgeries and their patients.”
Dr. Max Mollenkopf, a representative for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in the Hunter area, acknowledged the significance of communication in medical practices. He stated that GPs and clinicians who order tests hold a medical and legal responsibility to follow up on the results. “If someone has a clinically significant result, then you have an obligation as a practitioner to try to inform the patient of that result,” Dr. Mollenkopf explained. “You can’t tell a patient it’s on them.”
He further elaborated that general practices typically have strict policies for handling test results, which include attempting to contact patients on at least three occasions. If unsuccessful, practices are required to send a registered letter informing patients of significant results. Dr. Mollenkopf remarked that it is “extremely rare” for a practice to neglect contacting a patient about a clinically significant result, suggesting that the woman’s experience may be an isolated incident rather than indicative of a broader issue.
The bowel screening test is designed to detect tiny amounts of blood in stool samples, which can be an early sign of bowel cancer. Timely communication of test results is crucial for effective treatment and patient outcomes.
As healthcare systems face mounting pressures, questions arise regarding their capacity to maintain effective communication with patients. The woman’s experience highlights the need for better systems to ensure patients receive timely information about their health, particularly when it involves potentially serious conditions like cancer.
In light of her experience, the woman hopes that raising awareness will prompt individuals to actively seek their medical test results, ensuring that critical information does not go unnoticed.
