Hailey Heseltine
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The Florida Department of Health-Jefferson (DOH-Jefferson) is now providing lab-draw blood services for a $20 fee.
Blood tests are a very common service that “help doctors check for certain diseases and conditions,” as well as monitor organ function and treatment results, according to the the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Many people have blood tests done annually as part of a checkup, most commonly the Complete Blood Count test, which monitors levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, hematocrit and mean corpuscular volume. The basic metabolic panel and comprehensive metabolic panel are also common tests to monitor your health. Other blood tests may be ordered at your provider's recommendation, such as screening tests to see if you're at risk for developing certain conditions, investigate symptoms you are experiencing, monitor existing medical conditions, evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment you are receiving and for genetic analysis. Overall, blood tests are a useful and routine tool for keeping you healthy.
Despite being a fairly routine test, such services can be quite costly without insurance, depending on the type of blood test. They are also, however, important for monitoring your health. If your healthcare provider recommends a blood test, it is likely something you won't want to skip. To help improve community access to this necessary healthcare service, DOH-Jefferson is now offering the option of getting your bloodwork done there for a small flat fee of $20.
You must have a lab order from your doctor to receive lab-draw blood services from DOH-Jefferson. The service will be available only by appointment, which patients can schedule by calling 850-342-0170, 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. on weekdays. The lab-draw can also be set for any weekday during regular hours by appointment. Specimens will then be sent to Quest or LabCorp for processing.
Getting your blood work done is an important part of monitoring your overall health. It also should be easy to access for anyone who needs it. Now, your lab-draw service can be completed close to home and for a price that works for you.
DOH-Jefferson is located at 1255 W. Washington St. Its regular hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 850-342-0170.