Final answer:
Medical assistants can give normal test results and may deliver abnormal results if authorized by a provider, but cannot share information about a patient with callers inquiring about a spouse or child. D) Both A and B
Step-by-step explanation:
Medical providers often have strict policies regarding who can communicate test results to patients. In most cases, medical assistants are allowed to give only normal test results directly to patients, as abnormal results generally require further explanation from a healthcare provider. This is because abnormal results may need to be communicated with additional context, advice for next steps, and emotional support that medical assistants may not be trained to provide.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question regarding when medical assistants are allowed to give out test results is: D) Both A and B, meaning they can give out normal test results and may give out abnormal results if specifically authorized by the healthcare provider to do so. However, they cannot give out information to a caller asking about a spouse or child due to privacy laws, unless explicit consent has been provided by the patient.