Blood Work: When Your Physician May Need to Your Results
Your blood test results can tell your doctor a lot more about your health than you might think. For example, it can tell them whether you have a concussion, a mental illness, or hearing loss. A blood test can give your physician an accurate picture of your health, helping them develop a treatment plan.
There are many reasons why your doctor might request you to get blood work. You might be due for a routine blood panel or you could be exhibiting symptoms they want to identify. Whatever the reason, the results of your blood test can help diagnose a wide range of medical issues.
This guide will discuss everything you need to know about blood tests. Learn why your doctor would want to have one done and what they can determine from the results.
Your Doctor Wants to Look for Specific Conditions
Your healthcare provider might order a blood test because of your overall health, risk factors, and age. Lab tests are considered a routine part of preventative healthcare. The results will provide your doctor with a baseline reading they can use to compare against future results.
Some of the health conditions they can look for include:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Anemia
- Infection
- HIV
- Heart disease
- Kidney, thyroid, or liver problems
Your doctor can also order more specific blood tests if you’re exhibiting various symptoms, including hormone blood work.
Why Does My Doctor Want to See Me After a Blood Test?
You shouldn’t be alarmed if your doctor wants to speak to you on the phone or schedule an appointment to discuss your blood test results. There are many reasons why they might want to provide you with more details after your test.
Follow-Up
You might already be diagnosed with a chronic health condition. Your blood tests can tell your doctor if the condition is progressing or stable. Some of these conditions, such as prediabetes or hypertension, might not need to be treated immediately.
Your physician might still want to meet in person to discuss their findings, even if they’re minor. They could work with you to make plans for your lifestyle to reverse or manage your condition.
Confirming a New Illness
Blood tests can show your doctor an unexpected or suspected health condition. Sometimes the conditions that blood tests identify can be life-changing. These can include:
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Sickle cell disease
- Clotting or bleeding disorder
- A genetic disorder
Doctors typically don’t provide this type of information over the phone. Phone conversations risk the chance of information getting miscommunicated. There could also be a breach of confidentiality if someone else hears the conversation or answers the phone.
These are some of the most concerning reasons why your doctor might need to speak to you about your results in person, but they aren’t the only ones.
Planning Treatment
Doctors usually schedule a follow-up appointment after a blood test to create a treatment plan. Your physician might want to start or adjust your medication after seeing your results. They need an in-person visit to discuss the dosage of the medication, including possible side effects.
Schedule Other Appointments
Your doctor might want to schedule more than one follow-up appointment with you after reading your blood work results. They could require you to get additional tests done. They may want to monitor the progress of your condition.
This follow-up could happen in person, online or over the phone. It all depends on your specific health condition and your doctor’s recommendations.
Other Reasons
Your doctor might want to have a face-to-face interaction with you instead of speaking over the phone. They might want to take your vitals if they haven’t done so in a while. Other reasons could be they want to discuss other health concerns they have other than the results of your blood work.
They Might Not Need to See You
There’s always a chance that your doctor could tell you over the phone that your results are clear. Your health conditions might already be well-managed by your treatments and lifestyle. They can provide you with this information over the phone or schedule an appointment if you request it.
Come Prepared With Questions
There are some questions you should have prepared for when your doctor contacts you with your results for either an in-person visit or if you’re speaking to them over the phone. Some questions you might want to ask include:
- Did my blood test results explain my symptoms?
- What’s my diagnosis?
- Is there a treatment plan already in place?
- Do I have access to a copy of my results?
- What do my results mean?
- Will there be more follow-up appointments?
You Can Access Your Results Yourself
The lab that tests your blood sample can provide you with your results. The Lab Test Result Data Access Rule says that every patient can access the results of tests that were performed by freestanding labs.
Your physician might have concerns about you accessing your results. That’s because some abnormal results might make you concerned. You should wait for your doctor to discuss your results with you to alleviate any confusion.
For example, your doctor will look at your current results and compare them to previous ones. They’ll also take your age, medications, and illnesses into consideration.
The lab company won’t be able to provide you with that information since they don’t have access to your medical records. It’s also not something you can easily look up on the internet. While it’s good practice to have a copy of everything related to your medical history, you should wait until you speak to your doctor before you start diagnosing yourself.
Your Doctor Always Needs the Results From Your Blood Work
Most of the time, you can only get blood work done if your healthcare provider orders it. They’re also equipped to translate and understand the results. They’ll let you know what the results of your blood tests are and if any actions need to happen afterward.
At Precision Labs, we work closely with doctor’s offices across the United States. We provide accurate blood test results in a quick timeframe. Reach out to us to find out more.