Most of us think that visiting a doctor is only necessary when we are feeling sick or require treatment for a specific disease or condition. However, this is not the case as you can prevent serious diseases from taking place if you routinely get your health checked. Preventive healthcare refers to getting health checkups and other services regularly with lab testing being a vital part of it.
Just 8% of individuals in the USA undergo preventive health testing with just 15 out of the 50 states having above-average lab testing technology and healthcare. The best thing you can do to protect your health in the long term is prevent serious diseases. For this, lab testing is really important, and in this post, we’ll read about the importance of lab testing in preventive healthcare.
Common Types of Lab Tests
Most diagnostic centers and clinical laboratories identify illnesses before they show any visible or major symptoms.
These tests check different things like tissues, body fluids, blood, etc. to come up with treatment options. The following are some common lab tests followed by clinics and nurse practitioner.
- Blood Tests – These tests quantify the concentrations of several substances in the blood, including liver enzymes, blood sugar, cholesterol, and electrolytes. Unusual levels may be a sign of diabetes, other illnesses, or issues with organ function.
- Biochemical Tests – In order to detect the bacteria, viruses, or fungus that cause infections, body fluids such as blood or urine are tested in this.
- Immunological Tests – These examinations gauge the health of the immune system and aid in the diagnosis of allergies and autoimmune disorders.
- Microbiology Tests – This is the study of illnesses and cancers by looking at tissue samples under a microscope to find anomalies. Lab testing helps physicians make more accurate diagnosis and find suitable treatments.
Importance of Lab Testing in Preventive Healthcare
Next, we’ll read about the role and importance of lab testing for clinics and a preventive healthcare professional.
Prevention of Diseases
As the name suggests, lab testing’s main purpose is to prevent the onset of diseases and illness in people. The best thing is to stop diseases from happening in the first place instead of treating them later on.
Also, by preventing infectious diseases, a healthcare professional makes sure that it does not spread on to other people in the community. Lab testing and a healthy lifestyle is essential for this.
Early Detection of Diseases
As people age and grow older, diseases are bound to occur and nothing can stop it from happening. But, through lab testing, diseases can be detected at an early stage before they progress into something severe and deadly.
Many diseases have symptoms that are not visible in the early stages and lab testing allows doctors to detect and treat them at the right time.
Monitoring Chronic Illness
People who have chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, etc. should undergo lab testing to monitor the progression of their disease and see if the treatment is working effectively. Also, doctors can manage a patient’s condition through this and make adjustments in their treatment if required.
Better Patient Engagement
Through lab testing, patients can play an active part in their treatment and overall healthcare journey. They get insights into their health status and condition of their diseases through lab test results.
As a result, they perform healthy behaviors like exercising regularly, stress management, balanced diet, avoiding drugs, etc.
Leveraging Technology to Improve Preventive Healthcare
Lab testing has become more efficient and accessible than ever before thanks to technology and this is great for preventive healthcare.
Advanced analytical techniques, automated equipment, high-output testing platforms, etc. allow rapid testing and accurate results. Also, direct-to-consumer as well as telemedicine has made lab testing easier for patients as well as healthcare workers.
Conclusion
When it comes to preventive healthcare, the importance of lab testing cannot be understated. It’s really important for prevention and early detection of diseases in individuals so that they can be treated in the best possible manner.
For any help with lab testing, you can consult an experienced and qualified nurse practitioner like Careecia Porter Wallace. As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and lab testing is a crucial aspect of preventive healthcare.