I just ran across a terrific website that can help you decipher lab results. Often, when a family member is ill, the patient is traumatized by his or her own health issues and can’t think clearly. Caregivers can help when they go with their loved one to the doctor with a list of prepared questions, but after that, the doctor may order lab tests. The results can take a few days to a week or two, and then you’re left with sheets of jargon-filled paper and the possible arguments with your insurer.
What does all the mumbo jumbo mean?
What numbers do insurance companies need so you won’t have a hassle getting reimbursed?
This website won’t have all the answers, but it will have much information that’s delivered in an easily understood format. If you’re more comfortable in another language than English, you’ll find the same info in many different languages, including French and Spanish.
I wish I had known about this website a few years ago. It’s authoritative and far more useful than trolling the internet and trying to find the information another way. It’s far easier than trying to get an appointment with my doctor.
Lab Tests Online is a terrifically useful site for many hard to diagnose diseases such as MS and Huntington’s. Folks facing an Alzheimer’s diagnosis will find lots here to help them thread through the choices they must make.
If you’ve had laboratory tests performed, you may have been given a copy of the report by the laboratory or your health care provider. If not, you may wish to request one from your physician. Once you get your report, however, it may not be easy for you to read or understand, leaving you with more questions than answers. This article points out some of the different sections that may be found on a typical lab report and explains some of the information that may be found in those sections.
Here’s the link, and good luck.
http://labtestsonline.org/
