How To Read and Understand Medical Blood Lab Test Results

1. Ask for copies of your blood lab reports (results). If you have blood tests done, request copies of the results from your doctor’s office or from the blood laboratory that performed the tests. If you live in the USA, you are entitled to copies of results from blood tests that have been ordered for you. The law that obliges medical entities to provide you copies is called the “HIPAA Law.” Once you have requested lab result copies, the office or lab has 30 days (according to this law) to comply with your request.

   Once you receive copies, it is a good idea to make a notebook or file for your lab results that you can keep as back-up files, in case you decide to see a new doctor (second opinion) or change doctors, without informing your previous doctor that you are doing so. Having your own copies is also helpful, in case you wish to post your results to a physician forum or patient forum on the Internet for further comment on them. Some offices or labs will require you to fill out and sign a consent form that gives permission to release the lab results to you.

2. Reading and understanding (interpreting) your blood test results. All lab results have a column beside the title/name of the test that lists your “result” and there will also be a column that lists the “reference range” or “normal values” for each test. When you compare your result to the reference range, this will tell you where your result falls within the normal range. Most lab results that fall outside the normal values are “flagged” as abnormal or are highlighted. The lab result page will either have an abnormal column for which to list the flagged results or they will have a notation beside the result such as “L” (meaning low) and “H” (meaning high). Even results that are within the normal values are not always good results because with some tests, a borderline high or low level (on the edge of becoming abnormal) indicates the need for close observation and follow-up evaluations. Diseases, such as borderline diabetes and sub-clinical hormone deficiencies, are results that usually need to be followed up on (to monitor for development of full-blown disease).
3. Search the Internet to help you better understand your lab results. If you do not understand what an abnormally high or low result on a particular test means, your doctor should help inform you but you may also want to do a search on the Internet using the name of the blood test as the search term. You will find medical lab websites that will tell you what the abnormally high or low results mean. While some people may view this is a form of self-treatment, this is not the case because doctors are sometimes limited in their time for informing patients thoroughly about their health disorders. They may have time limited to administering treatment, without passing much information on to the patient about their illness. Patients should have a right to know what is affecting their lives and health and simply knowing about your illness will not take away from the fact that you still need a licensed physician to treat you and prescribe the medications needed.
4. If you feel you need a particular blood lab test ordered, tell your doctor. This is another area that some people may see as unnecessary patient involvement, however, being proactive in your own lab testing and health care through self-education and informed consultations with your doctor can result in higher quality of care. Doctors are not perfect and they cannot feel in your body what you do. They can treat you according to your symptoms but even this requires input by the patient. If you have come across information online that you feel is significant, you need to discuss this with your doctor. I will admit, personally, that I have been to doctors who were opposed to any input from me and also opposed to my learning about my illness on fellow patient forums or reputable medical websites but others have actually appreciated my pro-activeness because it helped them to better optimize my treatment. The attitude of a doctor in this area may also help you decide whether he is the doctor for you or if you need to seek one who allows more cooperation from you.

Medical blood lab testing is the single most valuable diagnostic testing available. Without blood testing, many diseases and disorders would be much more difficult for medical professionals to diagnose.