If you aren’t due for a visit with your primary care provider, but you’d like to know where you’re at in your journey to better health, Riverview Health & Laboratory offers Direct Laboratory Access (DLA). DLA is available to anyone who wants to monitor lab values between regular healthcare visits.
You can choose from a menu of tests ranging from out-of-pocket expenses of $10 to $40. According to RiverView Laboratory Director Emily Nelson, some of the top requested tests are for thyroid disease testing, hemoglobin A1C to measure for diabetes or diabetes control, and the full lipid panel, which includes cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and a calculated LDL, all measurements that can provide more comprehensive diagnostic information for determination of cardiac disease.
While DLA is not a substitute for ongoing care with a healthcare provider, it is a great tool for providing up-to-date test results. Crookston, Fertile, and Red Lake Falls Laboratories offer DLA. Test results are through your MyChart account, mailed, or are available for pickup.
To learn more about DLA and available tests, attend RiverView’s Thursday, October 26 Health Luncheon titled Direct Laboratory Access Testing, An Overview of the Program, and How to Use It. Nelson will present on the topic from noon to 1 p.m. in the Conference Rooms at RiverView Health, 323 S. Minnesota Street, Crookston. Call 281.9745 to register.
The luncheon is also an opportune time to get signed up for MyChart. MyChart allows you to manage your health care online, anytime. Through MyChart, you can access your appointment information, current medications, immunization history, lab results, and much more.
On your way to the Conference Rooms, stop by Holte’s Cafe for a variety of items from sandwiches, soup, desserts, and beverages. Feel free to bring your purchases to the luncheon and eat as you learn. Holte’s accepts cash, debit, and credit cards.
