There are a number of reasons why you may not have heard from us and much of that depends on what your "relationship" is with the Carver Lab.
If you're a patient
- If you are a patient, your contact should be between you and your physician. We do not contact patients personally unless absolutely necessary. When testing is complete and results have been confirmed, a written report will be forwarded to your physician as a matter of protocol. Your physician should then contact you to arrange for a consultation. If you are "curious" about the status of your test, please contact your physician. If he or she has not received a copy of the report, it means testing is still in progress.
- We have created an Online Test Tracking system which allows you to conveniently check the status of your test online using your unique, confidential identifier.
As of January 2009, "Identifiers" are automatically assigned to new patients when a test is ordered for the first time. Refer to your copy of the Test Requisition to find your Identifier. If you are unable to read the number due to your visual impairment, please contact the Carver Lab and we will be happy to email the Identifier to you so that you may use it to cut and paste into the appropriate field.
Prior to 2009, you may have been assigned an Identifier, had you requested one. If you currently have an Identifier and you have "Checked the Status" of your test and it is not working properly at the moment, please contact the Carver Lab and request an update. Due to the new software in place, some Identifiers need a manual "push" to connect with our new system.
Due to the sheer number of samples we have collected over the years (more than 50,000) it is not possible to communicate with patients on a one-to-one basis. It is for this reason we have created our Online Test Ordering and Tracking System
- Occasionally a report has been sent to the referring physician but the physician has not shared it with you, the patient. Please follow up with your referring physician.
- Occasionally, a patient believes his or her doctor sent their sample to our lab when it was actually sent to another research lab. Please follow up with your referring physician.
If you're a family member of a patient
- If the patient is 18 years old or older, he or she is considered to be an adult. Due to HIPAA regulations, unless we have a signed Release of Information form from the patient authorizing us to communicate with you, we are unable to do so
- Are you a parent or legal guardian of a minor child? As long as we have appropriate documentation indicating that fact, communication is possible under appropriate conditions.
- Are you a grandparent or a sibling or an "in-law" or a cousin twice removed or (you name it)? Unless we have written consent in the form of a Release of Information signed by the patient, we are not authorized to communicate with you.
If you're a physician
- Due to the sheer number of samples we have collected over the years (from you and our more than 700 other collaborators) it is not possible to communicate with patients or their physicians on a one-to-one basis regarding the "status" of a test. It is for this reason we have created our Online Test Ordering and Tracking System for you to use, as well as for your patient to use. *Note, for any other technical / clinical questions please contact the Carver Lab.
- If you are NOT the referring physician (or an authorized representative) listed on the original Test Requisition form, we cannot release test results to you unless we have a signed Release of Information from the patient instructing us to do so. Please contact your patient to make that arrangement
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