LabCorp, one of the largest clinical laboratory companies in the world, is now giving consumers the option to order their own blood tests online as it positions itself for a major expansion of brick-and-mortar testing sites in Walgreens stores.
The company announced the new offering July 22 as an expansion of its "Pixel" platform. Pixel was launched last October with self-directed test kits, which allow people to screen themselves at home for colorectal cancer, diabetes risk and lipid panels.
LabCorp's newest offering allows consumers to go online and choose from 25 different test packages, which collectively cover 90 different lab tests. Test packages are targeted at various systems like thyroid health, kidney health and women's health. After consumers buy a package, they can visit a LabCorp location for a phlebotomist to collect a blood sample, and they then receive test results within a week through an online portal. LabCorp operates testing sites at 41 Walgreens stores and plans to expand to more than 600 Walgreens locations by 2022. LabCorp currently has a total of nearly 2,000 patient service sites.
The test packages range in price from $19 for a routine urine analysis to $199 for the men's health package. Patients will pay out of pocket for the testing, as LabCorp says it does not bill to insurance companies. However, the price includes a review by an independent physician, and if test results indicate more intervention is needed, a physician group will contact the patient.
"Consumers are becoming increasingly interested and engaged in monitoring their health and wellness," David King, LabCorp's chairman and CEO, said in a press release. "LabCorp continues to change the way care is provided by creating new channels to deliver our offerings."
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