Home Health Tests
Select from dozens of easy-to-use at-home tests that can reveal information about your body, health and wellness. Test results are provided securely into your account and accompanied by a personalised video consultation.
This feature is intended for audiences in the US and UK only
How It Works
A quick and easy way to investigate symptoms, monitor a condition or simply get peace of mind
Service Guide
Everything you need to know about Home Health Testing
What is this service for?
Blood tests are a convenient way for you to investigate your health concerns. NowPatient’s Home Health Testing allows you to test hundreds of different biomarkers which can help confirm if your health concerns are valid or simply give you peace of mind that you are in good health.
Is this a safe service?
Yes. For UK users, our laboratory operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is the UK’s largest diagnostic laboratory service which is UKAS and ISO-certified.
For US users, our American laboratory is CLIA-certified and registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Our telehealth clinicians infer your test results and invite you to a virtual consultation in a real-time setting to discuss the results, after which they are then released into your account for download. You can then share the results with your doctor.
Are the at-home Health Testing kits reliable?
- Test kits have an outer seal design, with the product and regulatory information and a tamper-proof seal
- UK Test kits are registered with the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for distribution in the UK only
- US Test kits are registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health
- Test kits are available in multi-language translation
- Each test kit contains a warnings and precautions section with detailed information for the healthcare organization and yourself as the patient
- Video instructions supporting the specific sample collection are provided with each Self-Collect kit. Videos are designed to emphasize the important steps associated with capillary blood sampling and do not supersede or replace the specific end-user instructions provided with each kit
Is the service available in the United States and the United Kingdom?
Yes. This service is available in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Do I need to pay for this service?
Yes, this is currently a private service. However, in the UK, this may change and may be funded by the NHS, in the future. In the US, it may be possible it is covered by insurance but this depends on your health plan.
What happens when I order a Home Health Testing kit?
We will send you the test kit you have ordered, which will have instructions on how to collect your sample. Once collected, you simply pop it into the pre-paid envelope and send it to our laboratory.
How will I know how to use the test kit?
Instructions for sample collection are enclosed in each collection kit and can be found in the video below.
How do I return the sample to your laboratory?
We supply you with a return system package. Use this to send back the sample. Samples are fully tracked and can be posted from any Royal Mail post box, for UK customers, or USPS, for US customers.
How long does it take to get the test results back and what happens next?
Test results can take up to 10 working days to process from the day we receive your sample back. When we have processed your results, you will be sent a notification which will appear in your ‘My Notifications’ section on your dashboard, which will advise you that your results are now in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard, however, the test results will be locked and will not be viewable. The notification will include a link that will allow you to book a consultation with one of our Home Health Testing counsellors.
How do I book a consultation?
Once you click ‘Book Consultation’, you will be taken to a consultation booking screen. You will then need to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language of the prescribing clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available clinicians. From this list, you can filter clinicians by gender and then select the clinician you would like to confirm for your booking. Once you have approved this, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar. Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before it is due to start.
What happens during the consultation?
At the consultation, the clinician will discuss what the results mean for you and the medication you are currently taking. If the clinician decides that your doctor may need to review your medication or dose, they will send a referral letter, including the test results, to your doctor. If the clinician decides the results do not affect the way you process your medications then the consultation will end.
What happens at the end of the consultation?
At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcomes of the consultation. It will also advise if a doctor referral was made, by way of letter. If a GP referral letter was issued, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard. At this stage, your test results will also be unlocked and you will be able to download it and share it with any other healthcare provider.
Are my results confidential?
Yes, we follow strict General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) which came into force in May 2018. This places legal requirements on ourselves to ensure your personal data is managed securely with utmost confidentiality. Records are maintained of the processing that is carried out and reported when breaches of the regulation do occur. Our platform is also HIPAA compliant which means we are able to handle PHI (Personal Health Information) securely.
Are you able to prescribe a treatment plan, if my results indicate I need treatment?
For UK users, our prescribing clinicians may be able to provide a private treatment plan, subject to their clinical judgment. Unfortunately, we do not operate a service where you can request a certain medication.
What are the limitations of the Home Health Testing service?
All test kits have a certain level of inaccuracy, therefore results can only be taken as estimates. It should be noted all tests are performed in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and test performance is regularly monitored through internal and external quality control for test result interpretation.
We do not recommend sending samples back between Friday noon and Monday morning due to delays.
Are there any concerns or risks I need to be aware of?
Tests cannot be performed if samples fall short of the quality, volume, or other eligibility criteria. In these cases, the laboratory may need to reject the samples, and not carry out processing. Sometimes the laboratory is able to rectify a situation and although turnaround times may be affected, it avoids having to arrange for samples to be taken again.
Tests cannot be performed if incorrect sample types are received; samples are received unprotected from light when they are required to be covered at the point of venepuncture; samples are received in incorrect containers; no sample received; samples mislabelled, unlabelled, or with no forms, or no clinical information, samples are broken or have leaked in transit; samples are contaminated (e.g. being in the same bag as a leaking sample); sample stability time has been exceeded (stability time is test dependant, and also refers to tests that can only be carried out on certain days of the week); samples are received in expired tubes.
The laboratory will not accept samples packaged with needles of any kind.
About Telehealth
Everything you need to know about video consultations
Are remote video consultations right for me?
How do I know if the remote video consultation service is safe?
Do I need to verify my identity during the remote video consultation?
Can I have a chaperone (carer, friend, family member) join a remote video consultation?
How can I be sure that you are handling and protecting my data securely?
How is my data stored?
Are my consultations confidential?
Can I select which clinician I have my consultation with?
Will my doctor be informed of any consultations I have through the app?
Do remote video consultations save money for health systems?
Are remote video consultations safer than online questionnaires?
What quality of care can I expect to receive from a remote video consultation?
Why am I being asked to provide my Blood Pressure reading?
If I don’t have a Blood Pressure monitor, how can I provide my readings?
Is the remote blood pressure monitor safe and medically accurate?
How does the remote blood pressure monitor actually work?
When and how is my remote blood pressure reading taken?
What devices does the remote Blood Pressure monitor work on?
Why do my results keep failing when using the remote blood pressure monitor service?
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