Timely access to the results from diagnostic testing is critical for the effective management of recipients of care. Healthcare workers need access to results to make decisions such as selecting the appropriate model of care, initiating treatment, and switching treatment regimens, if required. Recipients of care are also empowered through access to their results, as this can allow them to play a more active role in their healthcare. In the management of conditions like HIV, efficient and timely return of results is particularly important, as recipients of care will undergo regular testing of their viral load (VL) to monitor disease status and the effectiveness of treatment. In this recipe, we share key considerations for countries considering the implementation of electronic systems to improve the return of results in their settings and best practices based on experiences where the electronic return of results has been implemented in Africa. This guide, available in English, French, and Portuguese is useful and relevant to laboratory professionals, health workers engaged in day-to-day testing, public health experts, program personnel involved in waste management and managers of laboratory directorates, among others.