Getting the best treatment for illness and injury starts with getting a fast and reliable diagnosis. In the emergency room, many diagnoses are aided by laboratory tests. Laboratory testing is essential in ensuring accurate and timely medical decisions.
When You Might Need Laboratory Testing
Many emergency room visitors will need laboratory testing to make a diagnosis. Correctly diagnosing a patient is more reliable with accurate information, so laboratory tests are run to give healthcare providers a clearer picture of a patient’s status.
Laboratory tests measure levels of chemical components in body fluids and tissues. Their use is common in diagnosing viruses and bacterial infections, heart problems, kidney issues, blood clots, and other abnormalities causing symptoms.
Patients who don’t receive laboratory testing often need radiology testing to diagnose their problem. Radiology tests are visual tests, so their use is more common with trauma, organ injuries, broken bones, and other internal injuries.
Laboratory Testing at Ally Medical ER
Ally Medical ERs are equipped with the most commonly used laboratory tests needed to diagnose illness and injury. Here is a list of the laboratory tests Ally Medical offers and the typical time it takes to get results:
| Test | What it’s Checking/Measuring | How Long It Takes to Get Results |
|---|---|---|
| Troponin | Measures cardiac enzyme Troponin, can indicate cardiac tissue damage | 20 minutes |
| CMP, LFT, BMP | Checks liver function, kidney functions, blood glucose, and potassium levels | 20 minutes |
| CBC | Checks for white blood cells (infections), red blood cells (anemia), and platelets (ability to clot) | 15 minutes |
| D-dimer | Can sometimes indicate a blood clot in the body when elevated | 20 minutes |
| Urinalysis | Checks for infection, blood, or glucose in urine | 5 minutes |
| Flu, COVID, RSV | Checks for influenza A and B, COVID, and RSV virus | 20 minutes |
| Strep | Checks for a strep infection | 8 minutes |
| PCR for COVID | Highly accurate check for COVID virus | 45 minutes |
| Respiratory Panel | Determines if you have a viral or bacterial infection in your respiratory tract | 45 minutes to 1 hour |
| GI Panel | Detects salmonella, e-coli, and many other viruses, bacteria, and parasites in your gut | About 1 hour |
| Coagulation/PT/INR | Checks how fast your blood is clotting | 5 minutes |
| STD Test | Checks for sexually transmitted infections | A few minutes to a few days depending on what STIs are being tested for |
| Pregnancy Test | Checks for signs of pregnancy (positive hormone levels) and can measure the level | A few minutes for urine tests, a few hours for blood tests |
For more information about our laboratory testing services at Ally Medical ER, please call any of our locations to discuss further.
At Ally Medical Emergency Rooms, our team is dedicated to providing fast and reliable diagnoses through comprehensive laboratory testing. If you need immediate medical attention or have concerns about your health, visit one of our locations for expert care.
