Glad to Have Insurance Coverage

John Brunner said:
I never encountered Quest before. The nearest LabCorp is in the eastern outskirts of Charlottesville. When I last looked, the nearest Quest Lab was a little west of downtown Richmond but not the far western exurbs. I believe that UVA physicians use the in house lab, which has a fast turnaround. I'll often get lab results late in the evening of the day I had blood drawn at my GP's practice.
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Large hospitals and systems often have their own large labs, but there are always things that local labs just don't do as they may only see one or two of the assays a year and it doesn't make sense to offer a test that you only need a couple times a year. Even the biggest hospitals don't have the reach of LabCorp that covers the entire country and beyond. mayo has its own reference lab system and offers testing nationwide as well but doesn't market to doctors and clinics as LabCorp and Quest do, At least that is the way it was when I worked. One of the smartest people I ever met in a medical field was the Director of Mayo Laboratories nationwide. He was in Minnesota and I attended a talk he gave somewhere, but I don't recall where that was. He said he read medical texts and journals 8-10 hours a day as he had to be able to speak authoritatively to every medical specialty. That was before Obamacare was passed though, so I don't know if that is still the case.
 
My PCP's office has used Quest for as long as I have been a patient there (20+ years), even though the doctor group is associated with Houston Methodist Hospital System. I have never had any issues with Quest; it is pretty seamless since the doctor's office usually submits the insurance claims.

MD Anderson has its own testing labs so they can provide almost immediate results. During chemo, I used to go in for labs before seeing my oncologist, and by the time I got to his office on another floor, he had those results to review with me.

Same with scans, biopsies, etc. When I went for the initial diagnostic mammogram, sonogram, and needle biopsy, I was advised that I had cancer that same day before I left the facility.
 
Beth Gallagher said:
My PCP's office has used Quest for as long as I have been a patient there (20+ years), even though the doctor group is associated with Houston Methodist Hospital System. I have never had any issues with Quest; it is pretty seamless since the doctor's office usually submits the insurance claims.

MD Anderson has its own testing labs so they can provide almost immediate results. During chemo, I used to go in for labs before seeing my oncologist, and by the time I got to his office on another floor, he had those results to review with me.

Same with scans, biopsies, etc. When I went for the initial diagnostic mammogram, sonogram, and needle biopsy, I was advised that I had cancer that same day before I left the facility.
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I've used LabCorp for a couple of things.

-When I've done a 24 hour Urine Collection, I've taken the sample to them to analyze. At some point the collection kit started coming with a shipping box and pre-printed label and I took the package to a Fed Ex drop off center. I can't recall what lab it went to.

-I forget exactly what the circumstances were, but I had them draw blood once and analyze it driven by a doctor's orders. I don't remember why this was not done at the doctor's office or even what the need was.

I see my urologist every 6 months and he takes an x-ray and does a PSA test. I think he's done an eGFR on occasion. The results are available immediately.

It's almost miraculous, considering the delays and lack of access in many other 1st world nations.
 
Mary Stetler said:
I wonder if LabCorp is still here to use. I used it for my daughter who came out from Vermont instead of waiting for referrals etc.
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My understanding is that they no longer do "patient directed" drop-in lab work. You gotta have a doctor write the order. Sounds like we would have to go to an Urgent Care clinic and have them order the blood work (or maybe do it themselves.)

They do have some tests you can order and pay for online here and then go have blood drawn.
 
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