Patients need to make an informed choice about their pathology referrals
In February 2010, despite representations from the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (conveyed via letters, meetings and discussions), the federal government introduced legislation into Parliament to require all pathology request forms to be marked with the advice to patients that they may be taken to any pathology provider.1 Pathology services underpin modern health care, playing a role in 70% of diagnoses and medical decisions.2 The key concern of health professionals is that the “non directed” pathology referral will put patient safety at risk and undermine the quality of information that pathologists provide to patient care.
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- 1. Commonwealth of Australia. Health Insurance Amendment (Pathology Requests) Bill 2010. Explanatory memorandum. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/bill_em/hiarb2010480/memo_0.html (accessed Mar 2010).
- 2. Department of Health, UK. Report of the review of NHS pathology services in England. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4137606 (accessed Mar 2010).
- 3. Roxon N, Tanner L. Health budget 2009–2010. Increasing competition in pathology and diagnostic imaging [media release]. 12 May 2009. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/budget/publishing.nsf/Content/budget2009-hmedia15.htm (accessed May 2009).
- 4. Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs, Parliament of Australia. Health Insurance Amendment (Pathology Requests) Bill 2010. http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/clac_ctte/health_ins_pathology_requests/info.htm (accessed Mar 2010).
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- 6. National Cervical Cancer Coalition. National cancer screening service names preferred bidder for provision of cytology laboratory services. http://www.nccc-online.org/view_news.php?nid=1002 (accessed Mar 2010).
- 7. Boswell R, Tie A. All change for the New Zealand laboratories. N Z Med J 2006; 119: U2252. http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/119-1243/2252 (accessed Mar 2010).
- 8. Chorneyko K, Butany J, Hébert PC, et al. Canada’s pathology. CMAJ 2008; 178: 1523-1526.
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