Once a patient has had a test, the next question is almost always the same: when will the report be ready, and how will I get it? A patient who doesn't know the answer calls the front desk, waits on hold or comes back in person. None of those is what anyone wants on a busy morning.
A lab website can answer that question on a single page. This article explains what the page should say and how to keep it accurate.
When reports are ready
Explain the typical report times, grouped by the kind of test. Routine tests and specialised tests usually take different lengths of time, and a patient who knows which group their test is in will be less anxious. Say that times can vary, and that the lab will tell the patient if a report is delayed.
Only publish the times the lab can keep. Review them every few months, and update the page when the lab changes how it works.
How patients collect or receive reports
Describe each route the lab offers: collection at the reception desk with an identity document, a copy sent by email or WhatsApp, or access through an online portal if the lab has one. For each route, say what the patient needs to bring or confirm, and how long it takes.
If the lab has a patient portal, link to it from this page, and explain how a patient registers or logs in. If the portal is run by another provider, say so and link to that provider's page instead of implying the lab runs it.
Reports for doctors
Patients often ask whether the lab will send the report to their doctor. Explain how that works: whether the lab sends a copy on request, and whether the patient needs to give written consent first. Keep the wording simple and accurate.
Urgent results
Some patients need a result quickly. If the lab offers an urgent service, describe it and its cut-off times. If it doesn't, say so, and tell patients who need a result urgently to speak to their doctor, rather than leaving them to guess.
Keep the page honest and current
Reports depend on staff, equipment and the test itself, and any of those can change. Check the page each time you change a report time, a collection method or the portal. Ask the lab's own staff to read the page once a month, because they're the ones who answer the calls it's meant to prevent.
Quick checklist
- Explain the typical report times, grouped by the kind of test.
- Describe each way a patient can collect or receive a report.
- Say whether a report can be sent to the patient's doctor, and what consent is needed.
- Explain how urgent results are handled, or say the service isn't offered.
- Link to a patient portal only if the lab runs it, or label it clearly as another provider's.
- Review the page each month with the front desk team.
What to do next
The diagnostic centre websites page shows how a report section sits alongside the test list and the home-collection requests. The layout behind this is covered on the business websites page, which suits any diagnostic centre building its first site. Start with the report times, because they answer most of what patients ask after a test.