An abnormal test result typically sets in motion a number of follow-up actions by a patient’s treaters. While many of those actions will depend on the particular situation, one of them should be a constant: Telling the patient.

Patient coverage by trusted colleagues is a necessary part of practicing medicine. But post-surgical handoffs can become a focal point if things go wrong.

While California awaits a ruling from the state’s Supreme Court on a related Elder Abuse Act issue, an intermediate appellate court has rejected a patient’s attempt to blur the distinction between medical negligence and elder abuse.

Communicating critical test results is often done at multiple levels. But sometimes one or more channels will breakdown and expected redundancies will evaporate.

California’s interests in curbing drug abuse can overcome a patient’s expectation of privacy in his or her prescription history stored on the state’s CURES database, according to the Court of Appeal.