Today is a very exciting day for us at Lab Tests Online – UK. We are launching our free app at the Royal College of Pathologists in London. The app is a continuation of the site (labtestsonline.org.uk), if you will, for people on the go! It provides useful information on laboratory tests, conditions and wellness (otherwise known as screening). So yeah there’s an app for that! Versions are available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices, so download it NOW!
At the time of its inception in 2003, Lab Tests Online – UK site was aimed as a website for patients and carers. Through the years, we have learned that over 25% of people accessing the site are healthcare professionals. This added group of visitors can greatly benefit from this app that requires no internet connection after its downloaded and can be accessed at anytime and anywhere in the palm of your hand.
In an age where we are becoming increasing reliant on our mobiles for information, reliability and accuracy of the information provided can be of concern. All the information on our app and website is written by laboratory based clinicians or scientists and is updated regularly and importantly it is non-commercial. It’s a site you can trust.
By June 2015 all patients in UK will have access to their healthcare records, including test results, and no doubt this will drive many to look up information on tests online and asking their doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to explain them. This app will remain an excellent resource to help support this change.
I’ve been using the app in my own out-patient clinics to help explain to patients why they need a blood test and what the results mean. I encourage them to review the app or website at home should they wish to access such information at the courtesy of their own home and at their own pace. It’s also a useful tool when I am teaching junior doctors or medical students in clinic as the information is available right when I need it.
The 5-star review already also says it all:
‘There is a huge amount of information here, and it’s quick to use. Clinicians will find it useful themselves, and it will also be a good site to recommend to patients, since it is trustworthy and clearly written.’
I couldn’t have put it better myself!
Making this app a reality would not have been possible without the continuous support of our professional organisations – Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Science and the Royal College of Pathologists.
Whether you are a healthcare professional, a patient yourself, or a carer take a look at the app or our website. I think you’ll be impressed and find the information you want at your fingertips. Pass it on and spread the word. You can find trustworthy and reliable information on the internet, and especially when it comes to your laboratory tests – its labtestsonline.org.uk!
– Dr Danielle B Freedman, Chair Lab Tests Online – UK Board
