Pathology and diagnostic imaging reports can be added to your My Health Record. You and your healthcare provider can now access your results whenever and wherever needed.
These reports may include:
- Pathology: blood tests, urine tests, biopsies and other tests
- Diagnostic imaging: X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds and other diagnostic images.
Some of the benefits of having pathology and diagnostic imaging results on your record include:
- Keeping track of the tests you have had and when you had them
- Monitoring your results over time
- Improving access to your health information by your healthcare team
- Reducing unnecessary tests and scans
- Helping your healthcare team save time and focus on your care.
Video: How to find information in your record
How to view your pathology or diagnostic imaging reports
Pathology and diagnostic imaging reports are in the ‘Clinical Documents’ section of your My Health Record. To see these reports:
- Log in to your My Health Record through myGov.
- Select the record that you would like to view.
- Select the 'Documents' tab.
- Select 'Clinical Records', then select either:
- Pathology Reports, or
- Diagnostic Imaging Reports.
- Once you have selected the document type, you will see a list of documents. From here you can view documents, control access or remove them if you wish. You can also print your documents.
New pathology or diagnostic imaging reports
If you have a My Health Record
Pathology or diagnostic imaging reports will still be sent directly to your GP or healthcare provider.
Pathology and diagnostic imaging services may also add a report to your My Health Record unless you ask them not to.
The new report will be available to your doctor and other healthcare professionals involved in providing your healthcare.
These reports will only be available to healthcare providers who have access to your My Health Record.
You will then be able to see when new pathology or diagnostic imaging reports are added.
However, you won’t be able to view the contents in the report for seven days (except for COVID-19 pathology reports which are available as soon as they are uploaded). This gives your healthcare provider time to review and discuss the new results with you.
Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss any concerns about your pathology or diagnostic imaging test results.
If you don’t have a My Health Record
Your pathology and diagnostic imaging results are sent to your healthcare provider, e.g. your GP or specialist, who ordered the test.
If reports are missing from your record
Services may not be connected to My Health Record
There may be a few reasons why you can’t find your pathology or diagnostic imaging reports in your My Health Record.
One reason may be because the pathology or diagnostic imaging service is not yet connected to the My Health Record system.
More pathology or diagnostic imaging services will connect to the My Health Record system over time. Once they are connected, they will be able to add reports to your My Health Record.
Find out which pathology and diagnostic imaging services currently use My Health Record.
Control reports that go on your record
Once you have a My Health Record, pathology and diagnostic imaging reports may be uploaded unless you request otherwise.
If you do not want a report added to your My Health Record, you can:
- Tell your doctor or the pathology or diagnostic imaging service
- Check the ‘Do not send reports to My Health Record' check box on the pathology and/or diagnostic imaging request form,
- Write ‘Do not send reports to My Health Record’ on the pathology and/or diagnostic imaging request form.
Healthcare providers must comply with your request.
You can ask that the report not be uploaded any time before the report is uploaded to your My Health Record.
Privacy legislation
State or territory legislation may prohibit the sharing of sensitive information, such as results relating to HIV or AIDS, without express consent.
See guides to HIV and the law for more information
Managing specific tests on a request form
If you select or write ‘do not send reports to My Health Record’ on your pathology and/or diagnostic imaging request form, it applies to all tests written on the specific form.
You cannot request one test be uploaded and another not be uploaded on the same request form.
For example, if you have two blood tests on your request form and you request not to have the results sent to your My Health Record, it will apply to both tests.
Notifying pathology and diagnostic labs on request forms
It’s important to note that when your GP or specialist requests a pathology and/or diagnostic imaging test it may be performed by different laboratories.
Labs will not keep track of your preferences for My Health Record. This means you will need to ask that your tests not be uploaded to your My Health Record every time you fill in your test request form.
Cumulative reports
Note sometimes labs combine multiple test results over time on a “cumulative” report. Indicating that that you do not want a particular test uploaded each time you have that test performed will make sure that the result does not get included on a cumulative report.
Control access to documents
If you change your mind after the report has been uploaded, you can remove the report from your record at any time.
You can also set document access controls on your reports.
Managing conditions in your My Health Record
While there are ways to restrict access to documents in your My Health record, it is important to note your medical conditions may show up in different documents.
For example, if you had bipolar disorder and didn’t want to disclose the condition, it may appear on many documents including:
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) record of claim for Lithium medication
- Prescription record from your doctor
- Dispensing record from your pharmacist
- Your GP may disclose the condition in a shared health summary or event summary
- Your psychiatrist may upload a specialist letter.
- Your hospital may upload a discharge summary.
Understanding your test results
Healthcare providers may be in contact with you to discuss your test results.
You can also find a range of resources to help better understand your test results, how the results factor into your care and your next course of action.
Learn more about reading and understanding your pathology results on the Labs Test Online website.
