In-Office Lab Testing

Lab tests provide essential information about your health and are vital for diagnostics, disease screening, and chronic disease management. Integrative Health DPC in Zionsville, Indiana, provides in-office lab testing for patient convenience and faster access to results. Instead of visiting a separate facility for your blood and other lab tests, they’re all available on-site. Call the Integrative Health DPC office to learn more about in-office lab testing or request a consultation online today.

What is in-office lab testing?

Laboratory (lab) tests involve collecting and analyzing biological samples, such as:

• Blood
• Urine
• Stool
• Saliva
• Cells and tissues
• Mucus
• Discharge fluids

Integrative Health DPC offers convenient on-site lab sample collection and analysis to ensure fast processing and timely results.

What does in-office lab testing involve?

In-office lab sample collection is very straightforward and only takes a few minutes.

Blood tests might occasionally require a finger prick, but most involve your provider inserting a needle into your arm vein to extract a blood sample. The needle might briefly cause a little discomfort as it goes in, but most patients tolerate it well.

If you dislike needles, your provider can give you some numbing cream to apply to your skin beforehand.

Saliva, mucus, fluid, and skin cell collection involves using a cotton-tipped swab that goes into a test tube. Your provider gives you a sterile screw-top container to take to the bathroom for collecting urine and stool samples. 

When would I need in-office lab testing?

You might require in-office lab testing for help with an acute illness or persistent symptoms. For example, if you have a severe sore throat or other upper respiratory tract symptoms, nasal and throat swabs identify infections like strep throat and COVID-19.

In-office lab testing is a vital screening tool that Integrative Health DPC uses during annual physicals, well-woman and well-man exams, and other routine check-ups.

Lab testing is also an essential aspect of chronic disease management, enabling your provider to monitor changes in blood sugar when you have diabetes or measure your cholesterol levels. Integrative Health DPC also offers cardiac rhythm testing to assess heart function and problems like arrhythmia.

Do I need to prepare for in-office lab testing?

Most in-office lab tests don’t require special preparation, but you’ll likely be more comfortable collecting urine and stool samples at home and delivering them to Integrative Health DPC.

If you need to undergo a fasting blood test — usually for blood sugar and lipids (fats) — your provider tells you beforehand when to stop eating to ensure accurate results.

After reviewing your in-office lab testing results, your provider advises you what they mean. They may recommend treatment and/or further tests.

Call Integrative Health DPC to learn more about convenient in-office lab testing, or request an appointment online today.