Patients Get Access to Lab Results, Under New Proposal

Patients in Pennsylvania — as they already can in New Jersey and Delaware — could get results directly from a laboratory instead of waiting for a delivery from a doctor, under a proposal to change federal law announced Monday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

“When it comes to health care, information is power," Sebelius said. "When patients have their lab results, they are more likely to ask the right questions, make better decisions and receive better care.” Pennsylvania is one of 13 states that only allow lab results to be sent to the doctor who orders the test...