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Public Relations / Marketing OfficerDavid Bruzzese For Immediate Release Mercy announces patient-ordered lab testing program The program was developed as an affordable testing option for those who require frequent lab tests, but it is expected to be popular with the health conscious and those who are unable to find a primary care provider who can order lab tests for them. Because payment for the tests is collected at the time of service, the hospital does not have to process or mail insurance claims, invoices, and other paperwork. The cost savings are then passed on to patients in the form of low test fees. A basic cholesterol test, for example, can be done for only $6. “Out of necessity or interest, patients are more actively participating in their own health care,” said Jessica Baken, director of Mercy’s laboratory. “Similar to low-cost testing available at health fairs, Direct Access Testing is another alternative that allows individuals to get health information they want, when they want it.” After a specimen—typically a blood sample—is collected at one of three Mercy Laboratory draw sites, it is processed and the results are mailed to the patient in a few days. If the test results are outside the normal range listed on the test report, patients are instructed to seek care from a qualified medical provider. “Diseases and health problems can’t be diagnosed or treated with lab tests alone, so Direct Access Testing is not a substitute for medical care from a qualified health care professional,” said Baken. “These tests can be helpful for health screening, detecting a potential problem, or monitoring a condition or therapy.” Other common tests available through the Direct Access Testing program include complete metabolic panel (CMP), lipid panel, blood glucose, complete blood count (CBC), prostate specific antigen (PSA), drug screens, and more. A complete listing of Direct Access tests and prices can be found at: www.mercydurango.org/DAT. Specimens can be collected from walk-in patients at the Mercy Regional Medical Center lab draw site adjacent to the hospital’s main lobby, 1010 Three Springs Blvd.; at Mercy Diagnostic Services, 1800 East Third Avenue, suite 111, in downtown Durango; and at Mercy’s Pagosa Direct Lab, 35 Mary Fisher Circle, in Pagosa Springs. All sites are open Monday through Friday, and the Mercy Diagnostic Services site also is open on weekends from 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mercy also recently launched Direct Pay Testing, which includes a list of more than 30 additional affordably priced lab tests. Unlike Direct Access tests, the Direct Pay tests require a medical provider’s order, but as with Direct Access tests, Direct Pay tests are affordably priced because the provider ordering the test collects payment at the time the specimen is collected. Mercy Regional Medical Center, a not-for-profit, acute-care hospital, relocated to a new facility the Three Springs / Grandview area of Durango in June 2006. The 212,000-square-foot, $82 million hospital features 82 private patient rooms, five operating suites, state-of-the-art technology, and amenities such as a healing garden. Attached to the hospital is a 153,000-square-foot medical office building that houses 21 provider practices, an outpatient surgery center, and hospital administrative offices. Mercy Regional Medical Center is a member of the not-for-profit, Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives health system, which includes 71 hospitals; 42 long-term care, assisted and independent living and residential facilities; and two community-based health organizations located in 19 states. # # # |
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