Critical Test Results Held Nine Months

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Bucks County hospital didn't tell a patient or the treating physician about "a signficant abnormality" that turned up in test results until nine months after the test had been performed, according to Pennsylvania Health Department records.
In a four-page report just made public the agency said Aug. 17, 2020 CAT scan results from the Grand View Hospital showing a 3.4 centimeter "enhancing mass" on the patient's left kidney were not provided to the patient and the doctor who ordered the tests until mid-May of this year.
When it did finally provide the patient with the test results, the Sellersville hopital advised the patient to see his doctor "as soon as possible."
A hospital spokeswoman, Wendy Kaiser, said the hospital had self-reported the incident to the state and the facilty's plan of correction in response to the survey had been accepted. She did not respond to several other questions including the current status of the patient.
The Health Department report states that the report was the result of "an unannounced Special Monitor survey."
An addendum to the original 2020 test report states,"The patient will be receiving a notice as a result of a determination by your diagnostic imaging service that further discussion of the test results are warranted and would be beneficial to the patient."
The hospital records note that the finding is "consistent with renal neoplastic disease" or cancer.
The report concludes that the hospital violated the state Patient Test Result Information Act which mandates that imaging entities directly inform patients or their designees of test results showing "significant abnormalities."
In a plan of correction filed by Grand View, hospital officials said re-education programs were held to remind radiologists of reporting requirements and audit would be conducted to ensure that test results were being reported as required.
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