Lab Tests Online

Lab Tests Online is an information resource developed to help patients and care givers better understand the laboratory tests used to diagnose, monitor, screen, manage and assess predispositions to diseases. The award-winning platform is created by American Association for Clinical Chemistry and developed globally in partnership with European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association and scientific societies.

Going online for information on laboratory tests www.labtestsonline.org

Lab Tests Online – Improving health literacy

The concept of ‘health literacy’ would be unrecognizable to earlier generations. Medical knowledge was not very accessible, and illnesses were usually only discussed with a doctor. Even there, it would be a one-way dialogue, not a conversation. Nowadays, people routinely seek information about their health and illnesses, and are happy to share their experiences. With diagnostics playing an increasing role in medicine, patients also want to understand what the results of their tests mean. Lab Tests Online provides an online resource dedicated to helping patients and families understand the results of their tests.

Doctors increasingly rely on diagnostic tests to make the best treatment choices. Therefore, it is important that individuals understand the process. Lab Tests Online offers clear and concise information to help people know what the tests mean. Patients are equipped to ask the doctor the right questions, letting them take more responsibility for their own health.

The increasing value of health literacy

Individuals increasingly want to control their own wellbeing. To do this effectively, they need to understand their health and their illnesses. Health literacy empowers patients, and empowered patients engage much more effectively with their doctor and their illness. Although a doctor can explain a great deal, reliable sources of health information make a huge difference. Lab Tests Online makes a major contribution to health literacy, helping people understand the implications of their diagnosis. In long-term conditions such as diabetes, it can help patients understand when they need to take action.

If healthcare systems are to remain sustainable, people will need to take more responsibility for their own well-being. This means a greater focus on wellness and disease prevention. Self-testing will play an increasing role in this process. Lab Tests Online will be essential in helping people properly interpret the information from their tests.

The importance of reliable sources of online information

Although there is an ever-increasing amount of health information available on the internet, there are understandable concerns. It is not always clear who has written the content and whether it can be trusted. To make the information truly valuable, individuals need to know that what they read is accurate and up to date. In addition, the information may not always be available in all languages. Relying on on-line translation services is not the ideal solution.

Lab Tests Online addresses these issues by providing high quality, reliable information in the national languages of 17 countries. This includes 11 countries within the European Union. The content is written by the professional bodies for testing laboratories in each country, ensuring the information is of the highest quality. They also regularly review the information to make sure it remains correct and up to date.

In addition, Lab Tests Online subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation. [link here] This is an international, not-for-profit body that sets quality standards for health information online. Adhering to these standards means that the information available on Lab Tests Online is clear, understandable and accurate.

Dedicated to improving patient understanding

At all levels and in all organizations, the primary motivation for Lab Tests Online is the same; a commitment to improving patient understanding of the results of their diagnostic tests.