A diagnostics lab is any facility that performs laboratory testing on specimens collected from humans for the purpose of providing information regarding the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disease, as well as determining the impairment or general assessment of one’s health. Next Genomix Laboratories is certified with both the CLIA standards for quality, and is CAP certified, which means that we’re recognized as being able to provide accurate results for optimal patient outcomes with confidence. Here are just a few of the functions you can expect a diagnostics lab to perform.
What Is A Diagnostic Lab And What Is Its Function?
Medical Laboratory Services
What Is A Diagnostic Lab And What Is Its Function?
Providing Diagnosis
The primary function of a diagnostics lab is to perform the process of determining if an individual has (or doesn’t have) a specific disease or condition. This diagnostics data can be acquired in several ways through medical tests. Our diagnosis can help medical specialists determine what disease is present, and also identify its stage of development. This information is important for doctors to be aware of the stage of a disease, if it is progressing, if it is stable, or if it is in the process of regressing. Diagnostics can also help doctors determine if their current treatment methods are being effective.
Monitoring Samples
Monitoring is similar to diagnosing, but its primary function is to determine if a particular disease is being controlled. Monitoring is very common with chronic diseases like diabetes. While chronic diseases are not diseases that can be cured, this monitoring data helps doctors provide treatments that prevent patients from getting worse, whether via medications, hormone treatments, or lifestyle changes. Basically, monitoring is essential in controlling disease and ensuring the best outcome for patients.
Screening Services
A screening test from a diagnostics lab is designed to detect if a patient has a specific illness, even if they are not symptomatic. A screening can help determine if an illness has begun to develop, and allows doctors to formulate treatment plans as quickly as possible to prevent the most harm. Screening is less about diagnosing diseases and more about easily identifying large numbers of a population that may have a disease.
Prognosis Data
Through our diagnostics lab, we can provide medical professionals with prognosis data that can be invaluable for assessing the likelihood that a patient may develop a disease in the future. This data helps patients take preventative measures to reduce the risk of diseases they may be particularly vulnerable to. Many genetic tests can determine a person’s predisposition for developing diseases so that doctors can be more aware of the early symptoms of the disease in question.
Diagnostic testing is not treatment or prevention in and of itself — but it does provide doctors with the data they need to effectively treat and cure patients. For more information about our diagnostics lab, please contact us today!