Patient-Centered Lab Result Communication Through the Clinic Manager Communication Log (CMCL) at MedZou Community Health Clinic

Abstract

Background: Timely communication of lab results is vital to healthcare delivery. To improve patient care practices, the Clinic Manager Communication Log (CMCL) was implemented at student-run MedZou Community Health Clinic – a free clinic serving uninsured patients in Columbia, Missouri. Without a streamlined system in place, there were delays in reporting lab results and communications to patients. Current literature on this topic is scarce. Methods: Using an Ishikawa Diagram and mapping workflow, a 2x2 Effort vs. Yield Table was constructed to determine the best lab reporting protocol. As a result, the CMCL was created to track all patient lab communication and follow-up needs. The Clinic Managers (CMs) changed protocol by contacting patients thrice within 1 week, recording all call attempts and information shared between January to August 2022. Retrospective data was collected to calculate turnaround time in reporting lab results prior to CMCL implementation. Feedback was assessed via the Patient Communication Satisfaction Survey. Results: Before CMCL implementation, 53.30% of patients never received their lab results. CMCL use showed a statistically significant 31.00% relative increase in patients receiving results (p = 0.002346) and a 12.60% relative increase in results communicated within one week. Out of the patients who couldn’t be reached initially, two-thirds obtained results via a follow-up call. 76.00% of patients rated their communicative experience as “Excellent”. Use of the CMCL showed a statistically significant number of additional patients receiving lab results, streamlining the follow-up process regarding their care. Conclusions: The CMCL demonstrates how tracking communication is effective at improving patient care at student-run clinics. A similar model of centralized data collection can be used to ensure reliable and efficient patient follow-up. CMCL access is currently limited to CMs. In the future, additional leadership teams within MedZou can utilize the CMCL data to practice more effective patient communication.