I agree with the comments about patient responsibility, if they did not get the recommended colonoscopy I can choose to talk to them about that again or not, my choice. Yes, the lawyers want to make us responsible because we have the money that they use to pay themselves ( which of course, ultimately also comes from the patients).
The other issue is that the patient can reasonably expect that their doctor's office is organized and well run, that we are compulsive and pay attention to detail and that will will not lose their lab or fail to tell them of an important abnormality. The tracking makes it easier to make sure that the test ordered ( because the information is needed....otherwise we would not have ordered it)has been received, and, therefore , the patient is well taken care of. The patients frequently worry that their test result is abnormal and that the doctor has overlooked it....I think they have had that type of experience with doctor's offices in "the old days" or, perhaps they watch too much TV.
Anyway, they seem reassured when I answer that question with a brief explanation of the tracking system. "Oh, Wow" is what they often say.
