How Do Medical Test Delays Constitute Medical Malpractice?

If you have visited a doctor or medical professional, you have likely had to endure a variety of tests to determine a diagnosis. Ideally, the physician receives the results of those tests and treats you accordingly. Unfortunately, there can be neglect in reporting your test results. This results in misdiagnosis or prolonged medical complications from your illness or medical problem, which could then result in a major medical complication that could impact you the rest of your life. If this happens to you, you can consider filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. Here is what you need to know:

Why Are Timely Results Important?

Once you have a medical test performed, it is crucial to get the results to the physician as soon as possible. Timely results are crucial to prevent a medical mistake and to make sure you get an accurate diagnosis so you can begin the necessary treatment for your ailment. If your physician or medical professional does not get your results in time, it could constitute negligence if your condition worsens as a result of the delay.

What Causes Delays?

There are legitimate instances in which medical testing delays happen, such as the necessary testing equipment needing maintenance. Ideally, you would receive communication about the delay in your results in this situation. There are, however, some testing delays that are completely avoidable. Disorganization is one cause of test result delays. Your testing results may have gotten mixed up or lost in the lab or facility. A technician who performed your test may have made an error and failed to communicate with you and your doctor. If you needed follow-up testing and the lab did not communicate that to your doctor, this can also result in a delay.

What Can You Do?

First and foremost, you can try to mitigate any issues by following up with your medical provider and ask about your test results. Most medical testing should not take more than a few days to come back, depending on the type of test you need. If you do not get an answer, you may need to take your case a step further.

If your medical conditioned was prolonged or you were misdiagnosed as a result of untimely testing results, you should contact a medical malpractice lawyer to see if you have a case for negligence. Errors and slight delays can happen through no fault of the testing facility, but long delays or lack of performing your tests altogether can be disastrous for you and your health.


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