Blood Tests | Lab

Blood work is drawn at the clinic itself, walk-in, and the result is explained to you along with what each value means. No prior doctor's order and no insurance are needed.

Which tests are available?

When do you need to fast, and for how long?

For fasting glucose, 8 hours without food, water only. The lipid panel usually asks for the same, although some labs now accept it without fasting. A1C requires no fasting, which is its advantage for diabetes monitoring. Ask which panel you are having when you book, because that is what decides whether you eat breakfast.

How to prepare

• Drink water before the draw: the vein is easier to find when you are hydrated
• Avoid hard exercise the day before, which shifts some values
• Bring your medication and supplement list: several affect results
• If needles make you faint, say so beforehand, not afterwards

What do the common values mean?

According to the American Diabetes Association, an A1C below 5.7% is considered normal, 5.7 to 6.4% indicates prediabetes and 6.5% or above meets the criteria for diabetes. For cholesterol, the number alone says little: it is read together with age, blood pressure, smoking and family history, as the USPSTF sets out.

A value outside the range is not a diagnosis. It is a data point to repeat or complete, and the clinic's medical team tells you the next step.

What about the results?

You are notified as soon as they arrive and they are explained to you, along with the plan. You get a printed report to take to another doctor or to keep for comparison at your next check.

If the test is part of following a chronic condition, care continues at diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol management. Promotions include the complete general check-up for $99 and the general blood panel with vitamin B12 for $99.