Which Doctor does your labs? | Arthritis Information

 

My GP says to get my labs at my Rhuematologist, my Rhuematologist says to get my labs at my GP, recently my Remicade nurse (I get infusions at the clinic) says she can take my labs when I come in and if my GP puts it in the computer she can run the RA tests along with Vitamin D levels and Thyroid.  Yeah, I thought, finally getting some action here and consolating visits.  But my GP's nurse says that if she orders labs then I have to come in for a physical.  Their physicals consist of hitting my knees with a rubber hammer, looking at my throat and ears and running an EKG.  I don't feel I or my insurance company are getting any benefits from these so called physicals.  The only thing my Rhuemy does is talk to me.  No looking at my joints etc.  Is this normal procedures that you are experiencing and if not which doctor needs to be doing the labs?  It would be nice if they coordinated.  I have been going to these 2 doctors for at least 8 years so you would think they could get things together.

ChrisEither my rheumatologist or internist.  Depends on when my last labs were, and which doc I have an appt with when it's near the time for labwork to be run again.  Doesn't much matter - whichever one gets the results promptly sends them off to the other one. I always do my labs with my rheumatologist...I have a port and it always the infusion nurses the opportunity to flush it.  I see him far more often than my internist anyway.  Have you investigated getting another rheumatologist..it sounds like you need oneI have 11 doctors and all but 4 wants blood test  every time I come in.  my rd will not see us without test.  I go to a Lab twice a month,  sometimes 2 or 3 times a week.  according to whats going on.  I have try to get more then 1 test at a time for more then 1 doc. so they don't run the same test twice  around here they are dumber then me and they lose them  or at least not all the doctor gets results.  I see my RD every two months, and he orders my labs...CBC, CMP, Sed Rate, and CRP, to be done a week before I see him.  I see my Endocrinologist every three months, and he also orders the thyroid labs to be done a week before I see him. I have a standing order from both doctors for the entire year, so they don't have to give me or fax orders to the lab each time...works out just fine.

I would definitely be concerned about an RD who doesn't want to order the labs, and who doesn't even check your joints when you go in. Sounds like it's time to find a new one.
I agree about finding a new RD.  Mine checks my joints every month when I see him and writes the lab scripts for me.  I only see my GP every 4-6 months, and I try to bring her a copy of the latest results when I remember.My g






My NP orders blood tests for me, including Vitamin D levels. I take Liptitor, and am prediabetic, so she runs a metabolic panel every six months, and a Vit D level every 3 months. She makes sure the Rheumy gets the results. Unfortunately, the rheumy doesn't always send his notes to her for my file. He doesn't ck my joints very much either. Sigh.



RD does blood work.. he is the one who needs it to monitor my functions....

I would start shopping around for an new RD and a PCP


Seems like just about anybody and everyone orders blood tests for me. On the 22nd of November, my rheumy called and said that Doctor C. head of oncology, wanted blood tests two weeks prior to my rituxan infusion, so she ordered them for November 29th and also for the day of the infusion, December 13th. December 13th, the oncology nurses ordered post infusion lab draws for December 20th and December 27th, second infusion day and then ordered post infusion lab draw for this coming Monday, and also ordered lab draw for January 24th the day of my rheumy and PC appointments. Genereally if my PC appointment is a month or two different from my rheumy, GP will also order lab draw. If I go see my PC and I don't feel good, he will order draws. Interns also order blood draws. What's nice about it all is it's all done at one hospital and I have the results within 30 minutes along with anyone else with a need to know. When i go for my infusion, they just do the blood draws and send them in and thirty minutes later, they have approval to order the rituxan. Bam. My blood tests are ordered by the RA Dr. and copies of lab results are sent to the RA dr and my primary.  That way they are looked at my 2 doctors--which makes me feel better.  The blood is drawn at a lab not the dr.'s office.  My RD prints out a lab request before I leave the office to have my blood work done again before my next visit (2 month intervals).  I've been using LabCorp but may switch to Quest Diagnostics because they will send the results to me via my iPhone (as well as to the RD).
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