Patients interpreting their own portal results

[u/Princessgargoyle]

Attending physician new to practicing in a more affluent area. How are you all dealing with patients asking for explanations for each out-of-range lab result that popped up in their patient portal?

I’m finding this aspect of my new site to be very frustrating and time consuming to have to convince the patient why the google interpretation of their isolated eosinophilia or glucose of 100 does not align with my “Great news! Everything looks good!”

[u/tccrouch]

Most of these are from the diff on the cbc or low values on the chemistry that don’t matter. I tell them that those are only worrisome when combined with other problems that they don’t have and point to the other things that are normal and reassuring. Refocusing on the normal creatinine or white blood cell count usually helps. Mild electrolyte abnormalities I offer a brief course (5ish days) of replacement. Otherwise just do as the other commenters say and tell them that those are not emergencies and they can see their pcp to discuss further.