How AlphaMD Lab Orders Work: From Order to Results

Lab testing is an important part of managing your care through AlphaMD. Whether you are completing initial testing, checking your progress, or having follow-up labs performed, a licensed medical provider may order blood work at different points in your care.

The process is designed to be simple. You will receive an email when action is required, and your AlphaMD lab order page will show you what has been ordered and how to complete your testing.

There are three parts to it: how your lab order reaches you, how you choose where to get your labs done, and what happens after you place your order.

Here is what to expect.

When Will I Receive My Lab Order?

A lab order may be issued after you meet with a licensed medical provider, or after your existing lab results have been reviewed.

Depending on your treatment plan, your labs may be needed right away, or they may be scheduled for a future date.

For example, a licensed provider might want to review certain blood markers eight weeks after beginning or adjusting treatment. In that case, you do not need to complete the labs immediately.

Instead, AlphaMD will let you know that future testing has been scheduled.

What Happens If My Labs Are Scheduled for the Future?

If your lab order is scheduled for a later date, you will receive an email letting you know that an order is coming.

This first message is simply a heads-up. You do not need to visit a lab or take any other action yet.

When the scheduled date arrives and your lab order becomes available, AlphaMD will send you another email.

That second email is the important one. It will contain the link you need to access your lab order.

Do I Need to Do Anything Before My Lab Order Is Ready?

In most cases, no.

If you have been told that future labs are coming, simply watch your email. AlphaMD will notify you when the order is ready and when it is time to take action.

There is no need to try to complete your labs before the scheduled order becomes available.

How Do I Access My Lab Order?

When your lab order is ready, open the email from AlphaMD and follow the link to your lab order page.

Your lab order page will show you:

• Which laboratory tests have been ordered
• The testing options available to you
• The next steps for completing your blood work

The exact tests ordered will depend on your individual treatment plan and what a licensed medical provider determines is appropriate.

What Are My Options for Completing My Labs?

Your lab order page gives you two ways to complete your testing.

The first option is Assist Health. Assist Health is a separate company that AlphaMD partners with for lab scheduling.

The second option is to use your own insurance.

Both options are shown on your lab order page, and the choice is yours.

How Does the Assist Health Option Work?

Lab scheduling is Assist Health's entire business. They work with laboratories across the country, and those partnerships are where the discounted pricing comes from.

If you choose Assist Health, your lab order page will list each ordered test with its price beside it, so you can see exactly what your testing will cost before you place your order.

Some tests will be marked as required. This means a licensed medical provider needs those results before your evaluation can move forward, so those are the tests to complete.

What If I Want to Use My Own Insurance?

If you prefer to use your own insurance, you can download your lab requisition directly from your lab order page.

You may then take that requisition to any laboratory that accepts it, or submit it to your insurance provider.

It is worth knowing what to expect if you choose this route. From that point forward, completing your labs and obtaining your results is up to you. Your coverage and your cost will depend on your individual plan.

Can I Add Tests That Were Not Ordered?

Yes. If there is something you would like checked that was not included in your order, you can add it yourself on your lab order page.

Added tests receive the same discounted pricing as the tests that were ordered for you.

This means you are able to build the panel you want, on top of what a licensed medical provider has already ordered.

How Do I Place My Order?

Once you have reviewed your tests and made any additions, there is one final step. You will need to pay for your labs.

Payment is what sends your order to Assist Health. Until your order is paid for, nothing further happens.

Why Has Nothing Happened Since I Built My Order?

This is the most common reason patients find themselves waiting.

Building your order is not the same as placing it. If your order has not been paid for, it has not reached Assist Health, which means there is no scheduling, no phone call, and no appointment.

If you built your order and stepped away before paying, it is still there waiting for you. Return to your lab order page and complete the payment, and the process will pick up from there.

What Happens After I Pay?

Once your payment is complete, your order is sent to Assist Health, and someone from their team will contact you directly to book your blood draw.

You do not need to find a laboratory on your own. Assist Health will help you choose a location that is convenient for you, at a time that fits your schedule.

This part of the process is handled by a person, not a booking form. After you pay, the next move is theirs.

How Do I Get My Results?

When your results are ready, Assist Health sends them to you and to AlphaMD.

A licensed medical provider is then notified automatically that your results are in and ready for review.

From there, a licensed medical provider will be in touch with your results and any next steps.

Why Does AlphaMD Use Follow-Up Lab Testing?

Laboratory testing gives a licensed medical provider objective information about how your body is responding to treatment.

For patients receiving testosterone replacement therapy or other treatments, follow-up testing may be used to evaluate hormone levels and other relevant health markers.

Your lab schedule will depend on your individual situation, your treatment plan, your previous results, and the clinical judgment of the licensed medical provider reviewing your care.

This is why two AlphaMD patients may receive lab orders at different times, or have different tests ordered.

The Bottom Line

The AlphaMD lab testing process can be summarized in five steps:

1. A licensed medical provider orders your labs.
2. AlphaMD emails you when your lab order is ready.
3. You open your lab order page and choose how to complete your testing.
4. You pay for your order, which sends it to Assist Health.
5. Assist Health books your draw, then returns your results to you and to AlphaMD for review.

If your labs are scheduled for a future date, you will receive a notification ahead of time and another email when the order is actually ready.

Until then, there is nothing you need to do.