Home Testing Devices

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Home Testing Devices

For most people when they suspect that they have something going on medically, the cost comes to mind about going to see a doctor.   If they do go to a physician, a simple test runs, and there is a huge doctor's bill waiting at the end of the consultation.  There is a way to decrease the anxiety of a possible illness and medical bills.  Lots of individuals are turning towards the at home testing that is just as reliable as the ones used in the hospital and doctors office.  These tests are saving money in more ways than one, they are saving the time of making appointments, and taking time off work.  Two-thirds of Americans believe that they should have the last say about their health care.   According to a survey conducted in April 2015, of 2000 adults, they chose to manage their health and wanted the tools to do so.  

In this paper, I will review some of the cost efficient and personal reasons way more and more Americans are turning to at-home testing kits and why they are in high demand.  The FDA states that at home testing kits are a cost-effective way to get confidentially a quick result of many labs needed.  Over the counter testing products such as the LifeScans, OneTouch Delica Lancing System, Vagisil Screening Kit, and HIV/AIDS Testing kit and others are showing increased sales.  My argument is that health care cost can be avoided by doing these at home test, and insurance inflation due to the expensive overhead of testing could be decreased.    

Because there is such a widespread increase of uninsured individuals, these test would be available people who would not have access to medical assistance without going to an emergency room.  There is already many different types of at-home testing in use for people suffering from chronic diseases.  They have been around for many years.   There is a practical way for individual to be more informed about their health care, the economics of paying about $8 - $175 versus hundreds to possibly thousands of dollars compared to a doctor's visit.

Testing kits only require a drop of blood, a swab of saliva, or  urine or stool sample to get a negative or positive result.  For most of them within in a couple of minutes in the comfort of your home, a health scare can be elevated or further treatment can be sought out.  For another test which takes a lab to run the test, it is still a private procedure with a wait of just a few days.   These at the home test not well accepted by everyone in the medical field; many physicians share the risk of people not being well informed of the pros and cons of the test.  One of America's renowned physicians, Steven Nissen, M.D., department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, states that “self-diagnosis has critical risks.”  His opinion is that the Food and Drug Administration should not allow at home test to sell at all.  

As most new technology brings about fear, there has been at home test for years as stated before has been around for years; they are just testing for new diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, Hep – C, Cancers, and Unary Track Infections.   There are ways to choose these test carefully, make sure your physician recommends the test used and the FDA.  Even with these precautions, there could be an error from handling the specimen incorrectly.  Currently, there are millions of individuals that are testing at home.   to maintain their diseases, people with diabetes check their blood glucose levels safely at home, this at-home test has been a life saver for these people by letting them know that they are in need of insulin or a surgery snack to increase their blood sugar levels.  If you have not been diagnosed with diabetes and are having increased urination, family history, or obese just by taking an at home test and getting results of over 125 mg/dL before breakfast or over 200 at any time you will need to see a doctor to verify the reading and to discuss treatment.   A blood glucose meter is bought at Walmart, CVS, or any large shopping center.  They average on about $15, and a bottle of testing strips are about $9 to $11.  For less than $40 someone could determine if they need to seek medical assistance.