How can a patient request and obtain a physical copy of their most recent laboratory results from their primary‑care office, and can a designated adult pick them up on the patient’s behalf?

How to Request and Obtain Laboratory Results from Your Primary Care Office

Patients have a legal right under federal HIPAA regulations to access their own medical records, including laboratory results, and can request physical copies directly from their primary care physician's office by submitting a written or verbal request; a designated representative can pick up these records on the patient's behalf with proper written authorization from the patient.

Methods to Request Your Laboratory Results

If You Have a Patient Portal

• Access results electronically through your patient portal, which approximately 80% of active portal users utilize to view test results 1
• Patient portals are increasingly the standard method for result communication and are highly valued by patients for monitoring results over time 2, 1

If You Do Not Have a Patient Portal

Direct contact methods:

• Call the office to request your results—this remains the default method at approximately 80% of primary care practices for normal results 3
• Submit a written request to the medical records department or front desk staff
• Request in person during your next visit or by visiting the office specifically for this purpose

Obtaining Physical Copies

Yes, you can absolutely pick up a physical copy of your laboratory results. The process typically involves:

• Contact the office by phone or in person to request copies of specific laboratory results 3, 4
• Specify which tests you need (e.g., "blood work from my visit on [date]")
• Ask about any fees—practices may charge reasonable copying fees under HIPAA regulations
• Confirm pickup details including when the copies will be ready and office hours for pickup

Important Considerations

• Under CLIA regulations, laboratories must retain test records for a minimum of 2 years, so recent results should be readily available 5
• The practice should provide results that include all necessary information in an understandable format 5

Designating Someone Else to Pick Up Results

Yes, another person can pick up your laboratory results on your behalf, but proper authorization is required:

Required Steps for Designated Pickup

You must provide written authorization:

• Complete a release form at your physician's office authorizing the specific individual to receive your records
• Specify what information can be released (e.g., "laboratory results from [date range]")
• Include the designated person's name and relationship to you
• Sign and date the authorization form

Legal Framework

• HIPAA Privacy Rule mandates that protected health information, including laboratory results, cannot be disclosed to third parties—even family members—without the patient's explicit written authorization 6
• The designated person will likely need to provide photo identification when picking up the records 6

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Missing or delayed results:

• Over 80% of practices have no fail-safe system to track whether results were returned from laboratories 3
• Always follow up if you haven't received results within the expected timeframe, as practices often only become aware of missing results when patients inquire 3, 4

Communication gaps:

• Responsibility for result communication is frequently unclear among office staff 4
• Be specific about your preferred method of receiving results when you have blood work done
• Confirm contact information is current in your medical record

Authorization issues:

• Without proper written authorization, office staff are legally required to refuse requests from family members or other representatives 6
• Complete authorization forms in advance if you anticipate needing someone else to pick up results

Timeline Expectations

• Normal results are typically communicated via mail or patient portal within 1-2 weeks 7
• Abnormal results should prompt direct physician contact, often by phone 7
• Physical copy requests may take 1-3 business days to process, depending on office procedures 3, 4