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Understand Cholesterol Testing

September is National Cholesterol Education Month. Learn more about cholesterol and other lipids, and when testing may be appropriate.

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In-depth Feature Articles

To learn more about laboratory medicine in general and gain a greater understanding of how laboratory testing can impact your health care, read the following in-depth articles. These patient resources are intended to help you navigate the testing process, provide context for the lab tests you may need or have already completed, and give you a better understanding of your test results.

Deciphering Your Lab Report

People now have direct access to their laboratory test results. Learn how to read your laboratory report so that you can better understand your results and have an informed discussion with your healthcare practitioner.

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Tips to Help the Elderly through Their Medical Tests

What seems like a simple medical test to the average adult can be significantly more challenging to an elderly person. This articles offers some suggestions for helping elderly patients through some of the practical matters of collecting a test sample.

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Follow that Throat Culture: A Short Lab Tour

Find out what happens to your throat swab as you follow the steps of a throat culture in a laboratory.

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Patient Blood Management

Patient Blood Management (PBM) is used by clinicians to optimize a patient’s current medical condition to ensure successful recovery. Its main focus is on preventing anemia and/or blood loss, but it also involves investigating and treating anemia when present.

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Point-of-Care Testing

Learn about point-of-care testing (POCT), which encompasses any laboratory tests that are performed at or near a patient and at the site where care or treatment is provided. Point-of-care test results are typically available relatively quickly so that they can be acted upon without delay.

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Transfusion Medicine

Learn about transfusion medicine and blood banking. Transfusion medicine is the branch of medicine that is concerned with the process of collecting (donation), testing, processing, storing, and transfusing blood and its components. It is a cornerstone of emergency and surgical medicine. Blood banks are sections of clinical laboratories that process, test, and distribute blood and its components.

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Ask a Laboratory Scientist

Ask A Laboratory Scientist

This form enables patients to ask specific questions about lab tests. Your questions will be answered by a laboratory scientist as part of a voluntary service provided by one of our partners, American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. Please allow 2-3 business days for an email response from one of the volunteers on the Consumer Information Response Team.

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