Can Concierge Medicine Order and Review Blood Work and Laboratory Tests?

Yes. Concierge physicians can generally order blood work and other laboratory tests, review the results with you, monitor changes over time, and recommend additional testing when medically appropriate.

In fact, laboratory testing can be an important part of concierge medicine, particularly when the practice emphasizes preventive care, chronic disease management, medication monitoring, and long-term health optimization.

The main difference is not necessarily which laboratory tests a concierge physician can order. The difference is often how much time the physician has to decide which tests are appropriate, explain the results, compare them with previous testing, and incorporate those findings into an ongoing care plan.

What Types of Blood Work Can a Concierge Physician Order?

Depending on the patient's medical history, symptoms, medications, age, risk factors, and health goals, a concierge physician may order many of the same laboratory tests commonly ordered in a traditional medical practice.

Examples may include:

• Complete blood count (CBC)

• Comprehensive or basic metabolic panels

• Cholesterol and lipid testing

• Blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c

• Thyroid testing

• Liver and kidney function

• Iron and ferritin

• Vitamin B12 and folate

• Vitamin D

• Hormone testing

• Inflammatory markers

• Nutritional markers

• Medication-monitoring laboratory tests

• Urinalysis and other urine testing

Testing should be selected based on the individual patient rather than simply ordering the same large panel for everyone.

Patients interested in learning more about commonly ordered tests can explore our Routine Laboratory Testing Resources or read our physician guide, Understanding Laboratory Testing.

Can Concierge Medicine Include More Comprehensive Blood Work?

It can.

One potential advantage of concierge medicine is that physicians may have more time to evaluate a patient's complete medical history and determine whether testing beyond a basic annual panel would be useful.

For example, additional testing may sometimes be considered when evaluating:

• Cardiovascular risk

• Metabolic health

• Persistent fatigue

• Thyroid concerns

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Hormonal symptoms

• Chronic medical conditions

• Medication safety

• Unexplained symptoms

• Changes in health over time

More testing is not automatically better, however. Laboratory tests are most useful when there is a clear reason for ordering them and the results have the potential to influence clinical decisions.

Does a Concierge Physician Review the Results With You?

Yes, and this can be one of the more useful aspects of concierge care.

A laboratory report contains numbers and reference ranges, but interpreting those numbers requires clinical context.

Your physician may consider your laboratory results together with factors such as:

• Your symptoms

• Medical history

• Current medications and supplements

• Previous laboratory results

• Family history

• Diet and lifestyle

• Age and individual risk factors

• Existing medical conditions

• Other diagnostic testing

For example, a result that falls slightly outside a laboratory's reference range does not automatically mean that a disease is present. Similarly, a value within the reference range does not necessarily answer every clinical question.

The National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus guidance on understanding laboratory results explains that laboratory findings often need to be interpreted alongside other clinical information.

Can a Concierge Physician Track Laboratory Results Over Time?

Yes.

One of the benefits of having an ongoing relationship with the same physician is the ability to compare results longitudinally rather than viewing every laboratory test as an isolated snapshot.

Depending on the condition being monitored, your physician may follow trends in areas such as:

• Blood sugar

• Cholesterol

• Kidney function

• Liver enzymes

• Thyroid markers

• Blood counts

• Iron levels

• Nutrient status

• Hormones

• Medication-related laboratory markers

Changes over several months or years may sometimes provide useful information even when individual results remain within a laboratory's reference range.

This type of ongoing monitoring can be particularly useful as part of preventive care, chronic disease management, medication management, and health optimization.

Can Concierge Medicine Order Specialty Laboratory Tests?

Often, yes.

In addition to routine blood work, some concierge practices offer access to more specialized laboratory testing when there is a medically appropriate reason to investigate a particular concern.

Depending on the physician, laboratory, and clinical situation, specialty testing may evaluate areas such as:

• Advanced cardiovascular markers

• Nutritional status

• Hormones

• Gastrointestinal function

• Genetics

• Environmental exposures

• Selected immune or infectious markers

• Other specialized biomarkers

These tests should not automatically replace standard medical evaluation or routine laboratory testing.

At Ask Dr. Hu, we generally begin by understanding the clinical question and reviewing relevant routine testing before determining whether additional testing is likely to provide useful information.

You can learn more in our Specialty Laboratory Testing Resources or explore our Specialty Laboratory Testing Services.

Where Is the Blood Drawn?

The physician typically orders the laboratory testing, while the specimen itself is collected by an outside laboratory, phlebotomy center, hospital laboratory, or another appropriate collection facility.

The exact process depends on the test.

Some laboratory tests require:

• A standard blood draw

• A fasting blood draw

• Urine collection

• Saliva

• Stool

• At-home specimen collection

• Specialized collection kits

Your physician or the testing laboratory should provide any necessary preparation instructions.

Are Laboratory Tests Included in a Concierge Membership?

This depends entirely on the concierge practice.

Some practices include laboratory ordering and physician review within the membership while the actual laboratory charges are separate. Other practices may bundle certain laboratory services into their membership fee.

At Ask Dr. Hu, our Concierge Medicine Membership includes medically appropriate laboratory ordering, monitoring, and personalized review of results.

However, charges from outside laboratories may be billed separately depending on the laboratory, the tests ordered, the testing location, and the patient's insurance coverage.

This distinction is important:

The physician's evaluation, ordering, monitoring, and interpretation of laboratory testing may be part of concierge care, while the laboratory itself is a separate healthcare provider that may charge for performing the tests.

Can I Use Health Insurance for Blood Work?

Potentially.

Even when a concierge medical practice does not bill insurance for its membership or physician visits, patients may still be able to use their health insurance for laboratory testing performed by an outside laboratory.

Coverage depends on factors such as:

• Your insurance plan

• The laboratory's network status

• The tests ordered

• Medical-necessity requirements

• Deductibles and coinsurance

• Whether prior authorization is required

Some specialty laboratory tests may have limited insurance coverage or may be entirely self-pay.

If cost is an important consideration, it is reasonable to ask about expected laboratory charges and verify coverage with your insurance company before completing expensive or specialized testing.

Can Blood Work Be Ordered After a Telemedicine Appointment?

Frequently, yes.

For Arizona patients, many laboratory orders can be placed following an appropriate telemedicine evaluation. The patient can then complete the blood draw or specimen collection through an outside laboratory or collection facility.

Once the results become available, many laboratory-review appointments can also be completed virtually.

An in-person examination or additional diagnostic evaluation may still be necessary when the patient's symptoms or laboratory findings warrant it.

You can learn more about available virtual and in-person options on our Medical Services page.

Why Laboratory Interpretation Matters

Laboratory testing is most useful when it answers a meaningful medical question.

Blood work should generally not be interpreted in isolation.

The National Library of Medicine notes that healthcare providers may consider symptoms, medical history, and other test results when interpreting blood tests. Individual laboratory values can also be affected by medications, preparation, diet, hydration, timing, and other factors.

For this reason, the goal of laboratory testing should not simply be to collect as many numbers as possible.

The better question is:

Which tests are appropriate for this patient, what do the results mean in context, and will the information change what we do next?

That is where having an ongoing physician relationship can be particularly valuable.

How Ask Dr. Hu Approaches Laboratory Testing

At Ask Dr. Hu, laboratory testing is integrated into personalized medical care rather than treated as a standalone collection of numbers.

Depending on your health needs, laboratory testing may be used to:

• Establish a baseline of your current health

• Screen for common health risks

• Investigate symptoms

• Monitor an existing condition

• Evaluate medication safety and effectiveness

• Identify potentially correctable nutritional concerns

• Monitor treatment response

• Track important health markers over time

• Determine whether further evaluation is appropriate

Our goal is to order testing thoughtfully, explain the results clearly, and help you understand what the findings may mean for your health.

Patients can explore our Routine Laboratory Testing Resources, Specialty Laboratory Testing Resources, or our broader Concierge Medicine Resource Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a concierge doctor order regular blood tests?

Yes. Concierge physicians can generally order routine laboratory testing such as blood counts, metabolic panels, cholesterol testing, blood sugar testing, thyroid testing, and other medically appropriate tests.

Can concierge physicians review laboratory results?

Yes. Laboratory interpretation and follow-up are commonly part of concierge medical care. Your physician can review abnormal findings, compare results with previous testing, and discuss whether treatment, repeat testing, or additional evaluation is appropriate.

Can concierge doctors order specialty laboratory testing?

Depending on the practice and the clinical situation, yes. Specialty testing may be considered when routine evaluation does not fully answer a specific clinical question or when more targeted information could meaningfully influence treatment.

Do I still need insurance for laboratory testing?

Health insurance can still be useful. Concierge membership does not replace health insurance, and charges from outside laboratories may be separate from the concierge membership fee.

Can laboratory results be reviewed through telemedicine?

Often, yes. Many routine laboratory-review appointments can be performed through telemedicine when an in-person examination is not required.

Physician-Written, Evidence-Informed Patient Education

This article was written and medically reviewed by an Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician at Ask Dr. Hu.

Our educational resources are designed to help patients understand their healthcare options while recognizing that laboratory testing must be individualized according to symptoms, medical history, risk factors, medications, previous results, and the clinical question being investigated.

For additional information about laboratory testing and interpretation, patients may review resources from the National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus and information about laboratory quality standards through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) program.

Medical information on this website is provided for general educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical evaluation or establish a physician-patient relationship.

About the Author

Dr. YiQiu Hu, NMD is an Arizona-licensed naturopathic physician and founder of Ask Dr. Hu. His clinical work focuses on concierge medicine, preventive healthcare, diagnostic evaluation, laboratory testing, health optimization, and individualized treatment planning.

Dr. Hu earned his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Sonoran University of Health Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Northern Arizona University. His approach emphasizes thoughtful medical evaluation, clear patient education, accessibility, and long-term physician-patient relationships.

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