Blood Tests and Assisted Living Facilities: Who Can They Help?
Assisted living facilities by their nature must face a myriad of medical issues. Learn how blood testing can help the facility catch problems early.Targeted Keywordsassisted living facilitiesBody
Do you work in or manage an assisted living facility? Did you know that over 800,000 Americans reside in assisted living facilities? This provides options for the level of care needed while maintaining some independence.
These facilities provide 24-hour supervision and care. Yet, state mandates prevent the staff from drawing blood tests. Thus, companies have emerged to fill that need.
Continue reading to learn about mobile phlebotomy companies that come to the patients.
Purpose of Blood Tests
Blood tests help to determine if an individual has an illness or chronic condition. These tests describe the urgency needed for treatment. They also monitor the residents’ responses to treatment and medications.
Some blood tests are scheduled on a routine basis. Others may be ordered in response to a sudden change in symptoms. It’s important to have rapid access to blood testing when needed.
Residents in assisted living facilities often have medical conditions that need close monitoring. They also have an increased risk for sudden illness or injury. The ability to collect blood samples quickly enhances care and improves outcomes.
Blood Test Needs at Assisted Living Facilities
Each state determines the scope of service limits for assisted living facilities. Performing blood testing is not a routine service offered. This means that residents must go to a lab for blood test draws.
Some individuals aren’t able to travel to a doctor’s office or lab due to illness or injury. An alternative now available is point-of-care testing.
The company comes to the facility with testing devices that can process the specimen on site. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides rules for which tests a company can perform.
Common blood tests include:
- Complete blood counts (CBC)
- Basic metabolic (electrolyte) panel which includes blood sugar levels
- Comprehensive metabolic panel
- Cholesterol (lipid) panel
- Thyroid function tests
- Vitamin B12 tests
- Hemoglobin A1C to monitor diabetes
- Prothrombin time (PT) and International Normalized Ratio (INR) to check blood clotting
- Serum Ferritin or Iron level
With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, assisted living facilities must follow state health department guidelines. If the state doesn’t provide guidelines, providers should follow the CDC testing guidance. The CMS is awaiting FDA approval for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies blood tests.
Are You Looking for Mobile Phlebotomy Services?
Do you manage healthcare services provided outside of the hospital? This can include assisted living facilities, home health agencies, and physician clinics. You may even work for a traveling healthcare physician or agency.
Often, blood tests are ordered for patients at these locations. They may receive instructions to have the tests done at a lab. This may not always be practical for the patient based on their physical health.
At Precision Labs, we provide mobile phlebotomists that will go to the patient. Our professionals will complete the blood draw and then run the tests. Once the results are ready, we will fax them to the physician and facility.
Physicians can also view test results using our online portal. Call us today to learn about our different services.