How do I get my pathology results?

How do I get my pathology results online?

When you have pathology tests arranged through Abby Health, your results are sent directly from the laboratory to your clinician. You will receive an SMS notification when they are ready. A follow-up appointment is required to review the results with a clinician — they will explain the findings, flag anything outside the normal range, and advise on next steps. At Abby, results are reviewed by your clinician before they are shared with you, in line with RACGP general-practice standards — so you hear from a person, in context, rather than seeing raw lab values cold.

How does the pathology results process actually work?

The flow at Abby Health is the same as a traditional GP clinic, just delivered online:

• Your clinician issues a pathology referral after your initial consultation.
• You take it to any pathology collection centre in Australia for the sample.
• The lab processes the test and sends results directly back to your clinician.
• The clinician reviews the results, then we send you an SMS letting you know they are in.
• You book a short follow-up appointment to discuss what they mean.

For a fuller walkthrough, see Telehealth pathology tests explained.

How long do pathology results take in Australia?

Most routine blood tests come back within 24 to 72 hours. Some tests take longer — cultures, hormone panels, and specialised tests can take up to a week or more. Imaging results from radiology providers are usually returned within 24 hours of the scan. The lab or imaging clinic will give you an estimate when they take the sample.

For background on what tests can be ordered, see the public information from Healthdirect and the relevant items on MBS Online.

Why can't I just see my results in the app?

Australian standards require a clinician to interpret pathology results before they reach the patient, particularly when results are abnormal. Numbers in isolation can be alarming or misleading without clinical context — a slightly out-of-range value can be perfectly normal for you, while a "normal" range can mean something different for someone else. The RACGP sets the standard that clinicians review and act on results before they are released. We follow it.

Your privacy rights, including how your records are handled, are summarised by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

What if my results are abnormal?

If something needs attention, your clinician will contact you to schedule a review sooner than the standard follow-up. For results that need action quickly — for example, an out-of-range result that needs treatment or a referral — you will be contacted directly. For most patients, the conversation happens during a planned follow-up consultation. The clinician will walk you through what the result means, what is in range and what is not, and any next step (a repeat test, a referral, a prescription).

If your symptoms are severe or worsening while you are waiting, call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a result.

If you haven't heard anything, follow up

Australian general practice has a long-standing principle: no news is not necessarily good news. Results occasionally fall through the cracks — a sample needing repeat, a lab system delay, an SMS that didn't arrive. If it has been more than 5 working days since collection and you have not been contacted, please don't assume everything is fine. Message us through the app or book a brief follow-up so a clinician can confirm the result and explain what it means.

How Abby can help

If you have results to discuss or need a fresh test, our clinicians can review them with you and plan what comes next. Abby appointments are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card. Book at abbyhealth.app/services/pathology.