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LabCorp scared of Theranos?
- Thread starter WEBB PINKERTON
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I think that's a good start!
I don't see why people need a prescription to order some simple tests like lipid panel, blood glucose level, etc. If a diabetic patient is allowed to read the glucose level from the finger stick by himself, then everyone should be allowed to monitor his or her own health through ordering some simple tests. It promotes health and save the medical resource for more critical needs.
Of course the trade group, i.e., AMA, etc, will be against this. But there will probably be an OTC device to perform the simple tests such as CBC, lipid panel, etc available on the market in 5 years anyway, just like glucometer, anyone can take a finger stick and get his or her good and bad cholesterol levels instantly and at the comfort of home.
I don't see why people need a prescription to order some simple tests like lipid panel, blood glucose level, etc. If a diabetic patient is allowed to read the glucose level from the finger stick by himself, then everyone should be allowed to monitor his or her own health through ordering some simple tests. It promotes health and save the medical resource for more critical needs.
Of course the trade group, i.e., AMA, etc, will be against this. But there will probably be an OTC device to perform the simple tests such as CBC, lipid panel, etc available on the market in 5 years anyway, just like glucometer, anyone can take a finger stick and get his or her good and bad cholesterol levels instantly and at the comfort of home.
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It probably will promote even more unnecessary testing.
Speaking of home testing, I looked into home testing for my PT/INR but just don't trust any of the devices currently on the market. Buddy of mine tosses an embolism darn near everytime he drifts out of the therapeutic range. A narrow therapeutic range drug needs an accurate result. 0.2 makes a difference for some of us.
Some pretty good looking phlebotomists out there as well.
Speaking of home testing, I looked into home testing for my PT/INR but just don't trust any of the devices currently on the market. Buddy of mine tosses an embolism darn near everytime he drifts out of the therapeutic range. A narrow therapeutic range drug needs an accurate result. 0.2 makes a difference for some of us.
Some pretty good looking phlebotomists out there as well.
I don't think PT/INR should be made available for self-ordering and self-interpretation, it is simply too complicated for a laymen.
But something like lipid panel, even if it is not really that precise, as long as it provides a bold part figure of good and bad cholesterol, people can keep track of it and promotes healthy eating and exercise.
But something like lipid panel, even if it is not really that precise, as long as it provides a bold part figure of good and bad cholesterol, people can keep track of it and promotes healthy eating and exercise.
It probably will promote even more unnecessary testing.
Speaking of home testing, I looked into home testing for my PT/INR but just don't trust any of the devices currently on the market. Buddy of mine tosses an embolism darn near everytime he drifts out of the therapeutic range. A narrow therapeutic range drug needs an accurate result. 0.2 makes a difference for some of us.
Some pretty good looking phlebotomists out there as well.
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We had Theranos at our hospital not too long ago extolling the virtues of their testing and it all sounds great on paper. Cheap, accurate testing that doesn't require a physician's order for all the common things one would go see the doctor for. As far as I know, its a CLIA '88 compliant lab and they're seeking FDA approval for their LDTs.
But what happens when average Joe gets his Lithium level evaluated and its abnormal either way (yes, that's in the test menu). What does he do? What physician is going to act on a test that he/she didn't order without seeing the patient? What happens when average Joe adjusts his Lithium level himself without a physician and does serious harm to himself? And don't even get me started on the legality of their testing for drugs of abuse...who would that be for anyway as the guy doing them already knows he's doing them!?
So as I said, it all sounds great until people realize they'll be holding a sheet of paper with an abnormal result that's only going to be retested (and billed for) by a "regular" laboratory before any medical action is taken. And I doubt most physicians are going to bother acting on Theranos's result alone, especially one they didn't order. I don't see this going away. I do however foresee the potential for some very, very big F'-ups in the near future and only a matter of time when the public is again reminded of why it takes at least 7 years of medical training to render safe patient care.
But what happens when average Joe gets his Lithium level evaluated and its abnormal either way (yes, that's in the test menu). What does he do? What physician is going to act on a test that he/she didn't order without seeing the patient? What happens when average Joe adjusts his Lithium level himself without a physician and does serious harm to himself? And don't even get me started on the legality of their testing for drugs of abuse...who would that be for anyway as the guy doing them already knows he's doing them!?
So as I said, it all sounds great until people realize they'll be holding a sheet of paper with an abnormal result that's only going to be retested (and billed for) by a "regular" laboratory before any medical action is taken. And I doubt most physicians are going to bother acting on Theranos's result alone, especially one they didn't order. I don't see this going away. I do however foresee the potential for some very, very big F'-ups in the near future and only a matter of time when the public is again reminded of why it takes at least 7 years of medical training to render safe patient care.
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Not all states allow direct access testing. It's legal in my neck of the woods and we offer some but it's a very limited menu. I'm not a fan, and local physicians are upset by it, but many labs in the area are doing it to so....It's a copycat business and apparently LabCorp has decided to copy them.
There was a good article in Lab Economics about Theranos a month or two ago that everyone should read. It was the best I have seen up till this point as most reports have been fluff.
I didn't realize they were visiting hospitals trying to drum up business. Cali and Arizona perhaps?
There was a good article in Lab Economics about Theranos a month or two ago that everyone should read. It was the best I have seen up till this point as most reports have been fluff.
I didn't realize they were visiting hospitals trying to drum up business. Cali and Arizona perhaps?
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So does anybody see outfits like those minute clinics that are popping up at places like your local pharmacy and grocery store also jumping in on this?
They can easily hire a dietitian to go over a basic lipid panel for a nominal fee!
They can easily hire a dietitian to go over a basic lipid panel for a nominal fee!
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Ordering lab tests without an MD order sounds good in theory, but probably ends up being far more costly.
People will order tests they think they need based on an internet consultation. Because tests are what they are, many of them will be abnormal. Then these abnormalities will have to be worked up. Thus, this has the potential to create many new costs out of essentially nowhere.
The question is, if someone orders a CA-125 level from lab corp, and it comes back abnormal, does the insurance then pay for the imaging studies necessary to show it's not significant? What about the surgery needed if there's a small ovarian cyst? I don't know the answer to that.
People will order tests they think they need based on an internet consultation. Because tests are what they are, many of them will be abnormal. Then these abnormalities will have to be worked up. Thus, this has the potential to create many new costs out of essentially nowhere.
The question is, if someone orders a CA-125 level from lab corp, and it comes back abnormal, does the insurance then pay for the imaging studies necessary to show it's not significant? What about the surgery needed if there's a small ovarian cyst? I don't know the answer to that.
