"Delay in Biopsy results"

I have had a fine needle biopsy under ultrasound of a lump in my cheek/lip – that was marked as urgent. This was late last year. There was someone from the lab present at the time of the biopsy who assessed that the sample was correct, the last thing they said as they left the room was ‘this has been marked as urgent’.

I live in the far North of WA, The requesting Dr asked that I remain in Perth until the Monday (6 days post biopsy) so that I could receive results and the appropriate action taken.

My phone consult on that Monday revealed no results as yet.

I have returned back up North my next phone consult on the also revealed – no results – 3 weeks since urgent biopsy taken.

I have phoned Pathwest – several times, they have assured me they received the sample on the day after the biopsy, they have told me the pathologist who is working on the sample works across several hospitals and that sometimes samples take longer when further testing is being done they have said that they cannot give me any further information.

I have been told by the Maxillofacial Clinic at RPH that a ‘chart out’ has been ordered for later this month – this will be 5 weeks since the 'urgent' biopsy has been taken.

My concern is that I am going to receive the news 5, 6 or 7 weeks post ‘urgent biopsy’ that this sample has failed or been lost….and I will have to leave my business and home and fly South again and this abysmal, in my opinion, process will need to be repeated.

The fact is that I am concerned about the mass on my face, and the mental health knock on effect has not been good for me or my business.

I feel with the pressure on our health system that patients should be given more information to empower them in the tracking of their own results. I feel it is not good enough that these results are left up to a health system under pressure and pathologists who work between hospitals. I believe there needs to be a better tracking system than one that says, we received the sample.

I am hoping in writing this I can get some assurance on the processing of these these results.