At-home lab draws: get your blood work done without leaving the house

Lab work is a normal part of healthcare. It helps your provider check your health, monitor a condition, adjust medication, or decide what should happen next.

But getting to the lab is not always easy.

For some patients, it means arranging a ride, taking time off work, finding childcare, or sitting in a waiting room when their immune system needs extra protection. For others, leaving home may be difficult because of mobility issues, anxiety, sensory needs, or another health concern.

That’s why Intermountain Health offers at-home lab draws in select areas of Utah and Nevada. Eligible patients can schedule a trained phlebotomist to come to their home or another approved location to collect lab samples ordered by their provider. 

Lisa Hawley, Supervisor of Laboratory Mobile Diagnostics at Intermountain Health, says the service is designed to help meet the needs of patients who can’t easily get into a lab.

“At-home lab draws can help elderly patients, patients who are physically unable to leave home, patients with agoraphobia, autistic patients, and even people who need lab work before a sedated procedure,” Hawley says.

In some cases, the mobile lab team can meet patients at an approved care location, such as a dental office before a sedated procedure, so they do not have to make a separate trip.

The service costs $45 plus the cost of the ordered tests and is FSA/HSA eligible.

How the at-home lab visits work

The process starts online. Patients complete an eligibility assessment and consent form through Intermountain Health. After the request is submitted, the mobile diagnostics team calls to schedule the visit. (Most appointments can be scheduled within two to three days of that phone call.)

“We schedule patients on a day and time slot that works for them,” Hawley says. “The convenience of us coming to them helps create a better experience.”

During the appointment, a trained phlebotomist comes to the patient’s home or approved location to collect the sample. After collection, the sample is sent back to the laboratory for testing.

Patients can also choose where they feel most comfortable during the blood draw, as long as the area is safe for the patient and the phlebotomist.

“Some patients sit on the couch. Some sit at the kitchen table. Others prefer to stay in bed,” Hawley says. “We’ve even had patients ask us to draw them outside. We do our best to make the visit feel smooth and comfortable.”

Expect the same safety and quality

A common question is whether at-home lab draws are as safe and accurate as lab draws done in a clinic.

The mobile diagnostics team follows the same safety and quality standards patients would expect in a clinic setting. The location changes, but the care and sample handling still follow lab protocols.

“Safety and quality are the same as what patients receive in a clinic,” Hawley says. “The added benefit is comfort. Patients are often more relaxed in their own home.”

That comfort can matter, especially for patients who feel nervous around needles or medical settings. It can also help children or patients with sensory sensitivities who may feel overwhelmed in a clinic or waiting room.

“We’ve had pediatric patients use the service because being at home helps ease fears and environmental triggers,” Hawley says.

Understand which tests can be done at home

Most routine blood tests can be completed through the at-home lab draw service. These may include tests your provider orders to monitor a condition, check symptoms, review medication effects, or follow up after a visit.

There are some limits, but they are uncommon. Certain specialized tests may still need to be completed in a hospital or clinic setting because of how the sample must be collected, handled, or processed.

Hawley says those limitations usually depend on the specific test the provider ordered. If a test cannot be done through the at-home service, patients can be directed to the right location for that lab work.

Get results through the patient portal

After the sample is collected, it is sent to the laboratory for testing. Results are typically available within 24 to 48 hours.

Patients can view results in the Intermountain Health patient portal or receive them through their provider. If patients need help accessing medical records, support is available through Intermountain Health.

It’s also important to follow up with your provider after results come in. Lab results often need context. A number may look high, low, or unfamiliar, but your provider can explain what it means for your health, symptoms, medications, and care plan.

Schedule at-home lab draws through Intermountain Health

Patients in eligible areas can request an at-home lab visit by completing the online eligibility assessment and consent form through Intermountain Health.

After submitting the request:

• The mobile diagnostics team calls to schedule the appointment
• Most visits are scheduled within two to three days
• A trained phlebotomist comes to the patient’s home or approved location
• The sample is sent to the laboratory for testing
• Results are typically available in the patient portal within 24 to 48 hours

Intermountain Health plans to continue expanding at-home lab draw services as the program grows. For now, the service is available in select areas of Utah and Nevada.

For patients who have been delaying lab work because getting to a lab feels difficult, at-home lab draws can offer a simpler next step.

At Intermountain Health, we know healthcare works better when it fits into real life. At-home lab draws are one way we’re helping patients get the testing they need with less stress, more comfort, and fewer barriers.