Contributed by – Healthians Team

Now, that you have finally decided to go for your first blood test, here is an insight to understand the process of drawing a blood sample along with a checklist to help you decide the right lab. Getting a needle stuck in your arm for the first time can be quite a drain, so it’s always best to be prepared for the smoothest possible draw.

Preparing for a blood test

Many blood tests don’t require you to do anything in advance and are done to see what your blood is like under normal conditions. But, there are few blood tests which require fasting for a certain amount of time before the blood test. Fasting usually means no eating or drinking anything apart from water for up to 12 hours before the blood test. Because of this reason, the tests are mostly scheduled early the next morning.

Your doctor will let you know if you need to go for fasting before a blood test. It is important to follow the doctor’s instructions, as it may affect the results of the test.

What happens during a blood test?

  • You will be seated or made to lie down during the procedure.
  • The phlebotomist (a technician who draws blood) will use a needle to take a sample of blood. Mostly blood is collected from the vein in your arm.
  • The phlebotomist will use a tight band to constrict your arm.
  • Once he or she locates the vein, they will clean the area of the skin with an antiseptic wipe and then insert the needle.
  • You might feel a small pricking sensation.
  • Once the technician has drawn enough blood, he or she will take the needle out and put an adhesive bandage on the site.
  • You will be asked to press firmly on the site to stop any bleeding.
  • This complete procedure does not take more than 5 minutes.

Does it matter which Lab I choose?

Before deciding your doctor, you have possibly researched his/her experience, background, specialties, timings, and everything else you could. So why wouldn’t you do the same while deciding on something as important as the lab to go for? But surprisingly –the decision-making process for the lab is not easy.

Hence, while choosing the lab, following factors should be kept in mind:

  • Expertise: The capability to expertly and accurately test the products is an important factor to be kept in mind while choosing the lab.
  • Convenience: Lab convenience is an important factor to consider while selecting the lab. This includes the location, availability and timings of the lab. Also, a lab that offers sample collection from home will save you a lot of time and stress.
  • Innovation: Lab technology innovation in both new tests, equipment and testing techniques are an integral part of diagnostic services. Hence, always opt for a lab that is tech driven.
  • Phlebotomist: The phlebotomist should be well-trained & experienced.
  • Access to Results/Reports: Another important factor that will make a big impact on your overall experience with a lab is their report output and turnaround time. The results can be provided to you via e-mail or can be checked online or delivered free from the laboratory.
  • Accreditations / Certification: From a patient’s point of view it is difficult to know what goes on inside a laboratory, how it functions, how tests are run and whether the quality standards maintained are or not. Therefore, if a lab is government accredited, there will be an assurance, that the lab is following strict quality guidelines and protocol. This will start right from sample collection and processing to dispatch of reports and record maintenance. Therefore, this factor needs to be kept in mind, while deciding on a lab.
  • Cost: Cost is an important factor as the cost burden should not dent your budget and further deter you from regular checkups.
Look for extras perks the lab offers!

Other considerations which you should keep in mind while choosing a laboratory are the extra perks it offers, like

  • Free doctor consultation
  • Free home sample collection
  • Online appointment
  • Customized packages for various medical conditions
  • On call Diet Advice
  • Email reminders
  • Online bill payment

Always bear in mind that being healthy and staying healthy requires solid preventive measures. Keeping a track of your health is important and it starts with you. Good health habits let you enjoy a longer, healthier, happier life. Getting recommended health checks at a relevant time can improve your chances of preventing health problems throughout your life.

Healthians: the one-stop solution for all diagnostic needs

Now that you know what to expect from a lab, consider Healthians for your first blood sample experience and we guarantee that you will never regret it. Its services come with all the above-mentioned criteria and much more. They have the largest army of NACO certified phlebotomist, with NABL accredited labs and they promise accuracy of report results with a money-back guarantee. So think no further, book a blood test online at Healthians.com or give a missed call at 011-3399 9933 now.

Preventive Health
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