Interesting that you can do this in Greece. In the US, a doctor has the order the labs. (Direct-to-consumer lab testing technically exists, but is always ordered by a doctor.)
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https://www.privatemdlabs.com/
https://www.discountedlabs.com/
I’ve used both of these in USA with no physician or insurance involved at all. Zero red tape. I believe Canada has some additional rules/barriers against private testing without a physician.
The CEO of PrivateMD labs is on HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=JeanPierreK
Those places are very clear that they have a doctor on board who will order the actual test in your name. That’s why e.g privateMdlabs is promising that you “can avoid the doctors office”, not “no doctor involved”.
Ah - good info! It's very transparent to the customer, I never noticed that there was any doctor involved.
To be fair, I don't think anyone actually does it, because who will do their own bloods, but you definitely can. Labs expect to see an order from the doctor, because that's what 99.9% of people have, but they're happy if you just pay out of pocket too.
In the US you can buy 100+ tests from Quest Labs directly, the price even includes a discussion with MD about the results.
The reason I would do it, or do it when in the US is just the convenience. Seeing a doctor is complicated and obviously involves at least one extra step. If you just go and get the tests and have the info, it simplifies things, which is presumably the reason why these direct to consumer options exist in the US.
It's interesting to hear that notionally they have the same model as us of a doctor needing to prescribe the test. The difference in Canada is that private healthcare is not available so you are forced to deal with the public system and the pace and inconvenience that entails.
No, the doctor doesn't need to prescribe the test, you can test whatever you want. It's just that the vast majority of people don't test anything unless a doctor tells them to.
There are places like 'Any Lab Test Now' in the US that are cash/card and do a large number of tests like this without a prescription.
In Ontario the doctor gives me a requisition form with the blood tests they want to do. I take that to whatever bloodwork chain is closest to me, they do the test, and get reimbursed by the government.
I don't think any of those chains have the credit card readers or cash registers to take payment from me even if they wanted to.
I'm in the US and our local hospital lab has "test fair" week every year when anyone can roll up and get any test for a nominal payment (basic common tests). No doctor involved.
Anyone can order labs via websites like https://directlabs.com/
If there is a doctor involved, it’s invisible to the consumer.
I believe there are 2-3 states where the rules are different (one being New York) where you can’t self-order tests, but every other state is unrestricted.
Even in New York where you can’t order via the typical websites, you can still go directly to Quest or Labcorp and buy your labs directly from them (without talking to a doctor).
Source: I regularly get blood panels without seeing doctors. I highly recommend direct labs, or Quest Direct if you live in NY.
Fun fact… my primary care provider ordered a Vitamin D and lipid panel for me last year. The cost of the labs after insurance was 3x more expensive than buying the labs myself without insurance. Insanity.
Edit: states with self-testing restrictions: AZ, NJ, NY, RI
If you check the lab report, did you see a doctor listed somewhere near the top? (Even if you didn't explicitly talk to that doctor, I think it's legally necessary in all US states).
(Agree that ordering and paying the cash price is often cheaper than insurance.)
Every reference lab in the US is required to have a medical director who is legally accountable for quality. That doctor's name will often appear somewhere on the report but that doesn't mean they ordered it. The ordering provider (if any) will be listed on a separate field.
Yes, there is an ordering physician.
The parent commenter we're both responding to said "I can go to a lab, order this, and pay for it." -- the point I'm trying to make is that the system in the US is basically the same, since the ordering physician is employed by the lab testing company and you never interact with them, so it's as if they don't exist for the purposes of comparing to Greece.
Edit: I see you own a blood testing startup! Now I understand why you were surprised about the ordering physician detail. I thought you were implying that the process is difficult in some way because a doctor is involved.
> Direct-to-consumer lab testing technically exists, but is always ordered by a doctor.)
More like rubber-stamped by a doctor. There are numerous websites where you can buy the labs you want and the requisition will appear in your inbox shortly afterward after being “reviewed” by a doctor.
It’s really not an impediment at all.
This is very much not true. I just paid $12 to have a lipid test done. No doctor order or involvement at all.
At least for the tests I've gotten in the past, there's always a doctor's name on the lab order. They might not do an appointment with you, but it's still a legal requirement to get the test done.
Yes, what you said was incredibly misleading given the context of the discussion.
> They might not do an appointment with you
That's the crucial detail missing from your comment. Without, it suggested that you had to go and actually talk to a doctor. But you don't. You can order labs as if there were no doctor involvement at all.
I believe it depends on the state.
> In the US, a doctor has the order the labs
Concierge doctors will do this with a text. It’s dumb. So dumb. But doable.