Do You Know Where to Get Blood Work Done? - Know Your Options

You’ve probably had at least one standard blood test before, but you may not realize just how much a blood sample can reveal about your health. Not only can blood tests show specific markers such as a red cell, white cell, and platelet count, but they can also indicate the presence of certain diseases such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and liver and kidney disease.

Blood tests also have other benefits as well as assessing your overall health. They can often determine your risk for certain conditions, check the success of your ongoing treatment, and help your healthcare provider to monitor the progression of chronic diseases.

A blood test involves taking a sample of your blood and having it analyzed in a laboratory.  You can have a blood test taken in a walk-in laboratory, and now, thanks to consumer-friendly healthcare solutions, you can even have a blood sample drawn at home. In this article, we will review your options for places to get a blood test done.

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Types of Common Blood Tests

There are numerous different types of blood tests. These are some of the most popular tests:

• Complete blood count (CBC): This type of test panel is designed to measure your red and white blood cell count, as well as your hemoglobin and platelet levels. This is one of the most common blood tests and is often included in a regular healthcare checkup.
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• Blood enzyme tests: Enzymes are proteins that have many functions within the body, such as speeding up metabolism, and helping with liver functions and digestion. There are several types of blood enzyme tests. Two of the most common are creatine kinase tests and
  ‍troponin tests. These are used to determine if a patient has had a heart attack or if the heart tissue is damaged.
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• Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP): This is a combined blood test that is designed to test the levels of a range of substances in your blood. These include electrolytes, calcium, and glucose.
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• Lipid panel: A lipid test measures two types of cholesterol in your blood. One is high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as “good” cholesterol. The other is low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as “bad” cholesterol.
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• Thyroid panel: A thyroid function test is designed to assess the normal functioning of your thyroid gland and how it is producing hormones such as thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine, and triiodothyronine.
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• Sexually transmitted disease tests: Although not all STDs can be diagnosed using a blood test, many can. These include:
• HIV
• Gonorrhea
• Chlamydia
• Herpes
• Syphilis

• Coagulation panel: A coagulation panel is designed to measure if your blood is clotting normally and how long it takes to do so. Examples of this type of test include the fibrinogen activity test and the prothrombin time test.
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• Liver function tests: This comprises a series of specialized blood tests designed to diagnose whether or not your liver is functioning normally. There are numerous tests including:
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• Serum albumin test: This test measures the level of a specific protein (albumin) in the blood to help with diagnosis of liver disease.
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• Serum bilirubin test: A measure of bilirubin can indicate if the liver is having problems processing bile.
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• Serum alkaline phosphatase test: This test measures the level of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase in the blood. It’s used to analyze liver functions and detect abscesses or tumors.
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• Alanine transaminase (ALT) test: This tests looks for the enzyme alanine aminotransferase that may have been released into the bloodstream following liver cell damage.

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What Are Your Options for Blood Tests?

If you need a blood test, you can opt for walk-in lab testing or home testing. Both are equally viable options. Which one you choose may depend on the lab location, the cost and convenience of the test, and your level of mobility. Here are the basic differences between the two tests:

• Walk-in lab testing: A walk-in lab provides direct access to affordable and convenient blood work and laboratory testing. You can buy your lab test online without having any insurance and take it to a walk-in lab where your sample will be taken, and your blood processed.
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• At-home lab testing: Mobile blood testing is conducted in your home by a professional phlebotomist. You can book your mobile blood test appointment online. The phlebotomist will schedule a house call. When they have collected the sample, they will take it to a local lab to be analyzed, so all you have to do is wait for your test results.

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Benefits of Getting Blood Work Done at a Lab

If you have one nearby, going to a walk-in lab facility such as Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics can make getting blood work done relatively easy, if you have the time and you can get your lab results quickly.

Both companies offer laboratory services such as immunology, molecular testing, and clinical chemistry. If you have health insurance, after your deductible, you will have a minimal co-pay. So at a walk-in lab, you can save money without compromising quality.

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Benefits of Getting Blood Work Done at Home

With mobile blood sample collections service such as Getlabs, you can enjoy the convenience of booking an appointment that suits you. You also have a professional blood draw in the comfort of your home.

This is beneficial for people who have difficulty traveling, such as elderly patients. Having a blood test at home also minimizes your risk of exposure to infection.

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Are At-home Lab Tests Better than Walk-ins?

Whether you choose a lab test, or an at-home test is entirely up to you. Both offer minimal hassle and are accessible whether or not you have a health insurance plan.  Neither one is necessarily better than the other; they just present two different ways of obtaining your blood test results. Many people choose these services because you can obtain a blood test without a doctor’s visit, doctor’s orders, or referral so you are fully in control of your healthcare. Both services are completely confidential.

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Blood Test FAQS

Do I need to do anything special before my blood test?

Depending on the test, you may need to fast or stop taking certain medications. Ask your doctor if you’re not certain.

How long will I have to wait for my test results?

This will depend on the lab and the type of tests. Often, your results will be ready within 24-48 hours.

What are reference ranges?

These are the normal ranges for your test results. If your results are outside of these ranges, you will need to make a follow-up appointment with your primary care physician to discuss what needs to be done.

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Get At-home Blood Testing Done with Getlabs

At Getlabs, we have a team of healthcare professionals waiting for your call. You can easily make an appointment for one of your qualified phlebotomists to come to your home to take your blood sample, to save you the trouble of going to Labcorp or Quest.

Once your sample has been taken, our phlebotomist will drop it off at the lab for you, so all you have to do is wait for your results. We have a wide range of home tests available as well as labs including:

• Liquid biopsies
• Vitals checks
• Imaging

If you want to learn more about Getlabs, visit www.getlabs.com/faq to learn more.