Blood Testing for Traveling Physicians
As the demand for at-home medical services continues to grow, physicians are consistently increasing the range of procedures and treatments they can carry out in a remote setting. Whether patients need to be seen in a home environment due to physical difficulties attending a clinic or hospital, or whether they simply prefer the convenience of at-home consultations, being able to offer a comprehensive range of diagnostic tests is essential.
What is Remote Blood Testing?
Remote blood testing simply refers to blood testing that takes place outside of the standard medical environment. While most blood tests are carried out in doctor’s offices, clinics, and hospitals, the procedure can technically be undertaken in almost any location.
For traveling physicians, the ability to perform blood testing in alternative locations, such as at home or in the workplace, enhances the patient care they can offer. As such, remote blood testing is an innovative way to offer patients the medical care they need in an environment they’re comfortable with. With standard protocols being used, this type of blood testing is as accurate, safe, and diagnostically useful as blood testing within a medical facility.
Why Add Remote Blood Testing to Your Services?
When you treat patients outside of a clinic or hospital, you are inevitably limited in terms of the tests, procedures, and treatments that can be carried out. If a patient needs an x-ray or an MRI scan, for example, they will need to attend a medical facility with the appropriate equipment. For this reason, there are some practical limitations on the services traveling physicians can offer.
From a practical perspective, increasing the range of services you can offer allows you to expand your practice. When patients can obtain all the diagnostic tests they need at home or at work, rather than visiting a clinic, they are more likely to opt for a consultation with a traveling physician. Of course, if they will need to attend a clinic following an at-home consultation simply to have their blood drawn, they may simply decide to consult with a doctor on-site.
By offering remote blood testing services, you can meet patient demand and increase the number of patients on your roster. By doing so, your practice can grow, and you can achieve your commercial goals as both a medical professional and a practice owner.
How Does Blood Testing at Home Work?
Remote blood testing enables patients to have their blood drawn in any location. In most instances, this will be at home or at work. Depending on the type of blood tests that are carried out, a traveling physician may be able to access the results in minutes or the blood may need to be sent to a lab for analysis.
With innovative new technology, an increasing number of blood tests can be processed instantly. This ensures that traveling physicians can draw the patient’s blood, processing the results, and interpret the results on-site, rather than having the blood sample sent to a lab.
However, even when blood samples need to be processed by a lab, remote blood testing is still a beneficial service to offer. Traveling physicians can store the sample in specially designed packets or envelopes, for example, until they can be transported to the lab. As the patient still has the convenience of being tested at home, rather than attending a clinic or hospital, the process remains advantageous.
What Are the Benefits of Remote Blood Testing?
The medical community is always looking for ways to enhance patient care and improve the range of services and treatments which are available. Of course, traveling physicians who are responsible for the commercial development of a practice will also want to balance the need to find profitable ways to grow their medical practice too. With this in mind, take a look at some of the benefits remote blood testing offers:
Convenience
Many patients find attending a doctor’s office or clinic inconvenient. Long waiting lists mean they may struggle to get an appointment or office opening hours may mean they need to take time off work in order to attend. Then, they’ll need to travel to the relevant location and wait to be seen, which increases the amount of time they’ll spend having their blood testing. In contrast, traveling physicians can conduct remote blood testing at a time and location that’s most convenient to the patient.
Fast Results
When blood testing results can be obtained instantly, physicians can access the information they need in minutes, rather than days. This allows them to make diagnoses more quickly and ensures that patients can access any treatment they require. With blood testing at home, waiting days or weeks for results could be a thing of the past. As a result, swift treatment can be given, and outcomes improved.
Enhanced Patient Care
Patients turn to medical professionals in their time of need, so it’s vital they’re given the care and support they require. By making the process as simple, straightforward, and convenient as possible, patients can access the medical services they require in the most efficient and comfortable way possible.
Easier Access to Medical Services
Many people struggle to attend hospitals or clinics for various reasons. Whether physical disability, mental health issues, or practical constraints are the cause of their non-attendance, it means that there are millions of Americans who are unable to access the medical care they need. When traveling physicians can offer blood testing at home, however, it ensures that everyone is able to obtain the comprehensive medical care they need and deserve.
Introducing Blood Testing at Home Services
If you’re a traveling physician and you want to expand the range of services you can offer, remote blood testing should be one of your top priorities. The diagnostic benefits, combined with the practical advantages, mean that blood testing at home can transform the medical industry and the patients it serves.