Test results: who to contact and when to follow up

Plan what happens after the test

The sample has been taken and the appointment is over. A few days later, you have a document on your phone—or you have heard nothing. The practical question is now who will explain the result, and how you can reach them.

The NHS suggests asking what a test is for, how and when results will arrive, and whom to contact if they do not. These questions help you plan; they do not establish a universal waiting time. A timeframe given for a different test, or to someone you know, does not replace the advice from your own team.

Our suggestion is to keep a note headed “Result expected”, with the test name, date and the professional who requested it. Record where it was carried out separately. This helps distinguish the laboratory or imaging centre from the person who will explain what happens next.

Receiving the report and getting an explanation

Use two separate markers for your own organisation: “report received” and “explanation received”. You may have reached the first without reaching the second. A notification that a document has been uploaded does not, by itself, answer your questions about another appointment or arrangements you need to make.

When a service describes how it will contact you, clarify what you should expect: the report itself, a message from a professional, or an appointment to discuss it. Establish whether you need to take the initiative. If someone says the clinician will call, you can ask how to follow up if the call does not happen when expected.

Is the document still unavailable, or has a discussion not been arranged? Write down exactly what is missing. That distinction makes it easier to explain your request without retelling your whole history to each person you reach.

What you can find in an online health record

In France, Assurance Maladie describes Mon espace santé as a record that can hold test results, reports and prescriptions. Patients can add documents themselves. For your follow-up, keep a complete copy of the relevant report rather than an isolated value or a tightly cropped screenshot.

In England, NHS guidance explains that online access depends partly on results reaching your GP record. Some hospital results are available through other services. A result missing from an app does not tell you what that result contains. Ask the relevant service where you can obtain it.

The NHS App help page also notes that a result may be visible before it has been discussed with you. If you are concerned about its meaning, ask your healthcare professional for an explanation. These arrangements describe England; they should not be assumed to apply to a French laboratory or a service in another country.

If you do not use a patient portal, tell the service and ask about another way to receive the document. You could say: “I cannot access that online service. How else can you send me the result and arrange for someone to explain it?”

If the expected date has passed

For hospital outpatient care, the NHS advises calling the hospital or clinic if results have not arrived as arranged. Keep the timeframe you were actually given in your note. If nobody specified one, contact the service to ask rather than inventing a deadline.

A suggested message from Malade: “Hello, I had [test name] on [date], requested by [professional or service]. I was told [the expected method and timeframe]. I have not received [the report / the planned call]. Could you tell me what happens next and whom I should contact for an explanation?”

Before calling, find your appointment reference and the contact details on the service’s documents. If you are directed to someone else, note the person or team and how to reach them. Ask what information they will need from you, so you do not have to call again simply to find a reference.

Afterwards, record the response and the next step agreed. “I left a message” and “an appointment has been booked” describe different stages. Keeping this record helps you follow the process; it does not replace professionals’ responsibilities for follow-up.

A short record for each test

Malade’s organisational template, to copy: use a separate record for each test when several services are involved. This is not a clinical form or a tool for interpreting results.

Test: name, date and location.
Requested by: professional or service.
Expected delivery: the method and timeframe you were given.
Planned explanation: whom to contact, or the appointment or call agreed.
Current stage: report awaited, report received, explanation awaited, explanation received.
Latest contact: date, person or team, response and next step.

Here is a fictional example of how to use it: you have received the report, but no discussion has been arranged. Under “Current stage”, write “report received, explanation awaited”. Your request is then about arranging that discussion, rather than having the same file sent again. If the service offers an appointment, add it to your calendar and keep this note with the report.

Prepare the questions you still have

Before the discussion, identify the passages you do not understand and write questions in your own words. For example: “What does this test tell us about the original question?”, “What is the next step now?” or “Who arranges the appointment you mentioned?” You do not need to suggest a diagnosis yourself to ask for a clear answer.

At the end of the conversation, add the agreed next step to your record. If you are returning for a consultation, our guide to explaining what has changed helps you gather useful observations. The appointment preparation worksheet can help you choose your priorities.

This process cannot tell you whether it is safe to wait. An administrative silence is not medical advice. If your condition worsens or a symptom concerns you, seek medical advice rather than waiting for a document. In an emergency, contact your local emergency services.