The availability of diagnostics to patients sig-
nals the next big shift in medicine, Pincock
said, and will help to create an environment
where patients play a larger, more account-
able role in their own health care. Being able
to self-monitor and self-regulate based on lab
values, especially for people living with con-
ditions such as diabetes, will not only be em-
powering but has the potential to ease some
of the strain on an already over-burdened
health-care system. Typically, physicians will
only alert patients when their values go out-
side accepted lab ranges. But if a patient sees
a number increase steadily over a number of
years — even if they still fall within the normal
range — it could signal a potentially alarming
trend that might spark lifestyle changes before
medical intervention is needed.
“It’s more likely that patients will actually track
their progress. Even if they were within the
normal range, if you’re seeing it elevate year
after year after year, you’re going to flag that
whereas your physician may not necessarily
see that because he’s maybe viewing your re-
sults in isolation of that specific visit,” Pincock
said. “But the moment you start tracking and
seeing that your cholesterol has been steadily
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