Services

Laboratory Sevices

Wellness Laboratory Testing

The hospitals of Mercy Health Network - North Iowa offer wellness laboratory testing to the public. This laboratory testing service differs in that the public can choose from a select list of laboratory tests, which are available without a doctor's order. The results of these tests will help patients monitor their own health status.

Because Americans are more health-conscious today, more aware of their own bodies, and more knowledgeable about physical health and illness in general, they are interested in knowing and monitoring their personal test results beyond what is provided at their annual physicals. While this service does not take the place of medical care, it is another tool for patients to access the information they need to monitor their own health.

Wellness laboratory testing will be offered from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at the ten network sites as listed below. Everyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Results of the tests will be sent directly to the patient within one week. Patients are encouraged to share the results with their personal physician. Critical test results will be reviewed by a physician. Payment for the tests must be received at the time of service in cash or check; insurance will not be billed.

The wellness tests offered include:

Hematology Wellness $15
-White Blood Count
-Red Blood Count and Indices
-Hemoglobin
-Hematocrit
-Platelet Count
(Checks for anemia, infections)
 
Glucose Wellness* $10
-Glucose
 
Potassium Wellness $10
-Potassium
 
Cholesterol Wellness* $10
-Cholesterol
 
ALT Wellness $10
-ALT (Liver)
 
AST Wellness $10
-AST (Liver)
 
Lipid + Glucose Wellness* $25
-Glucose
-Cholesterol
-Triglyceride
-HDL Cholesterol
-LDL Cholesterol (calc)
 
Chemistry Wellness* $30
-Glucose (Diabetes)
-BUN (Kidney)
-Creatinine (Kidney)
-Calcium (Osteoporosis)
-Alkaline Phosphatase (Liver)
-ALT (Liver)
-Uric Acid (Gout)
-Total Protein (Nutritional Status)
 
Hemoglobin A1C Wellness+ $30
- Glycohemoglobin (Diabetes)
 
TSH Wellness+ $40
-TSH (Thyroid)
 
High Sensitivity CRP Wellness* $20
-High Sensitive C Reactive Protein (Cardiac)

Any recent illness, tissue injury, infection, arthritis, or general inflammation will raise the amount of CRP and give a falsely elevated estimate of risk. Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like aspirin, Advil, Motrin, and Naproxin) or statins (a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs) may reduce CRP levels in blood.

PSA Wellness+ $45
- Prostate Specific Antigen (Prostate Cancer)

PSA levels can also be elevated in a number of conditions other than cancer, such as benign prostatic hypertrophy (non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate), prostatitis (inflammation or infection of the prostate), and after manipulation of the prostate (i.e., after a prostate biopsy or urinary catheterization).

CA-125 Wellness+
-CA-125 (Ovarian Cancer) $55

Other than ovarian cancer, CA-125 may normally be increased in early pregnancy and during menstruation. It also can be elevated from diseases such as pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis and sometimes in hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and any trauma to the abdomen.

Blood Type $15
-ABO Type
-RH Type 

* Indicated that individual should be fasting. Fasting, for the laboratory, means no solid food for 12 hours and no alcohol 24 hours prior to specimen collection. Water should be taken in normal amounts and you should continue taking your medications as directed by your provider.

+ Test not available at every Mercy Network site

The ten Mercy Network sites include:

For more information, contact the Mercy Health Network facility in your area.