By request: Your pathologist.
1: Many pathologists make themselves available to speak with patients regularly, some pathologists are not as comfortable with speaking directly to patients. This can be personal preference, or b/c clinicians may feel you're "THEIR" patient.
1: Many pathologists make themselves available to speak with patients regularly, some pathologists are not as comfortable with speaking directly to patients. This can be personal preference, or b/c clinicians may feel you're "THEIR" patient.
2: Blood tests and the like: Your pathologist is the doctor who oversees the laboratory where your blood/urine/stool/sputum/other fluid test was sent "the lab" to ensure that the tests are done in a quality manner AND to interpret the complicated tests.
3: GET COPIES OF ALL YOUR LAB TEST RESULTS. Your laboratory results are part of YOUR medical record. Every laboratory report includes the name of the laboratory medical director, the name of the laboratory & a customer service phone #. Call the customer service #.
4: If you've had a tissue biopsy or surgical removal of part or all of one of your organs - then you have seen an anatomic pathologist and we've seen you (part of you anyway). We are your doctors. We defer to your clinician to talk to you face to face - but we are still here.
5: GET A COPY OF YOUR PATHOLOGY REPORT. Pathologists use a lot of medical terms in our reports - they are written for clinicians & other pathologists - not for patients. It's normal for the pathology report to read like a foreign language. It is!
6: On every pathology report, the name of the pathologist who reviewed your tissue slides is on the report. So is the Medical Director's name for who oversees the lab... and a phone number for the lab. Can you call us? Yes.
7: How to get the most out of that call: take some time to read the pathology report or laboratory tests and WRITE DOWN any questions that you have about what the reports say. If you only get your lab results from your doctor, be willing to set a second appointment w/them.
8: As questions get answered, more questions always come up. If you are confused or have new questions - always ask: "If I get confused about this or have more questions" do you have any materials I could review or recommendations for websites? Can I call you again?
9: Befriend a pathologist on Twitter. Get them to follow you and follow them so that you can DM them.
There are many pathologists on Twitter. One I know of is also active on FB and participates in a community of patients who all are battling the same family of tumors (sarcomas) @JMGardnerMD . Seeing what we do might help you know the questions you want to ask.
