Australia National Pathology Standards (First Edition 2027) 7.03: Communicating results: use a results system that supports interoperability through SPIA-aligned terminology and structures, addresses report structure and content, delivers accurate, clear, concise and verified reports to requesters, patients and other providers within clinically appropriate timeframes, keeps a competent person available to interpret results, identifies and documents provisional reports, completes final reports before release, provides reports directly to patients on request and uploads to the national health record as regulation requires, retains specimens and reports for the defined periods, and keeps report amendments documented and traceable

What does 7.03 require?

Results reach the right people in a usable form. The reporting system uses SPIA-aligned terminology and structures so other systems can read it; it governs the layout and content of reports and how results are released; reports are accurate, clear, concise, verified and delivered to requesters, patients and other providers within a clinically appropriate time, with the understanding that someone copied in is not thereby made responsible for acting on a result unless that is agreed and documented; a competent person is available to interpret results and advise; provisional reports are flagged and recorded and final reports are complete before release; patients who ask get their reports directly, and reports go to the national health record as regulation requires; specimens and reports are kept for the periods the jurisdictions and standards set; and amended reports leave a documented, traceable trail.