10/15/2025
ABC's Good Morning America featured a story this morning about several companies offering "labs that you may not get at your annual doctors visit". The labs come at a out of pocket cost. Some come with a report of what the results mean and some come with information on what to do about abnormal results. I am all for patients having as much information about their health as they can. I believe it helps with meeting health goals and being compliant with treatment. But there are a few things that bother me about patients getting their own labs without consulting with their doctor. First is the cost. Some companies are charging upwards of $499 dollars. Some of these tests may be covered by insurance during a wellness exam or with specific diagnoses. Second, are there tests being done that you may not need based on your physical exam or medical history? Only the team of you AND your physician would know that. Third, who is going to interpret these results with knowledge of your health and medical history? A doctor who doesn't know you or can examine you? I am not saying don't do these tests. What I am saying is speak with your physician about your health concerns and get an annual wellness exam. During my visits during a wellness exam, I order all of the basic labs that are covered by insurance. I then ask if there are any other labs that a patient may be interested in knowing about. These include vitamin testing, hormone testing and tests for inflammatory markers. During my physical exam, I may find something that I feel may need to be adding to the labs we are ordering. During our follow up to discuss the results, I sit down with the patient and explain the results and discuss not just what normal is, but what optimal is. We then come up with a treatment plan customized for you. Now, isn't that worth going to see your doctor for?
Shine on everyone!
Dr. G out!
