Public Direct Access Lab Testing

Public Direct Access Lab Testing

We offer the public an opportunity to have laboratory tests performed right on site at the Prairie Lakes Laboratory.

These tests are not meant to take the place of regular medical care. Participants are encouraged to share their test results with their healthcare provider. Test expense can not be filed with insurance or Medicare. PLHS Lab will not forward any results to the participant's physician.

Available Tests:

Beta hCG - $15.00

Beta hCG is routinely used to confirm pregnancy. The test is also given to some women who may be at risk of an ectopic pregnancy or to monitor a woman after miscarriage.

Cholesterol - $10.00

Cholesterol testing is recommended as a screening test to be done on all adults at least once every five years. It may be ordered alone or with another test called a lipid profile. Cholesterol tests are taken to understand if you are at a healthy cholesterol level, and if not, to track any efforts at lowering your levels to deter heart disease.  

Results are grouped in three categories: 

  • Desirable: A cholesterol below 200 mg/dL is considered desirable and reflects a low risk of heart disease.
  • Borderline High: A cholesterol of 200 to 240 mg/dL is considered to reflect moderate risk. Your doctor may decide to order a lipid profile to see if your high cholesterol is bad cholesterol (high LDL) or good cholesterol (high HDL). Depending on the results of the lipid profile (and any other risk factors you may have) your doctor will decide what to do.
  • High Risk: A cholesterol above 240 mg/dL is considered high risk. Your doctor may order a lipid profile (as well as other tests) to try to determine the cause of your high cholesterol. Once the cause is known, an appropriate treatment will be prescribed.

Lipid Panel - $25.00

A full lipid panel is performed if details are needed about your cholesterol levels. This test includes an HDL level, LDL level and triglycerides level. An overnight fast is required for this test.

Glycated Hemoglobin - $15.00

The test screens for A1C, which indicates how well you have controlled your diabetes over the last few months. Even though you may have some very high or very low blood glucose values, A1C will give you a picture of the average amount of glucose in your blood over that time period. The result can help you and your doctor know if the measures you are taking to control your diabetes are successful.

Hemoglobin/Hematocrit - $5.00

This test is used to determine your general health status and to screen for the following:

  • Anemia and infection
  • Nutritional status
  • Exposure to toxic substances

Complete Blood Count (CBC) - $15

A CBC test helps determine general health status and screens for anemias and viral/bacterial infections.

PSA - $35.00

This test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. High PSA levels can indicate prostate cancer. Measuring the ratio of free-PSA to total PSA in the patient's blood provides additional information that helps your doctor distinguish prostate cancer from benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and other non-cancer-related causes of high PSA. This ratio may also help predict whether the prostate cancer is an aggressive, fast-growing disease or a slow-growing non-aggressive form of the disease.

When is it ordered?

The American Cancer Society recommends annual PSA and digital rectal exams for all men beginning at age 50. Men who have an increased risk for prostate cancer, such as American men of African descent and men with a family history of the disease, should start getting tested earlier - usually at age 40 or 45.

TSH - $25.00

A TSH test measures the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood. This test would be performed to: 

  • Diagnose a thyroid disorder in a person with symptoms
  • Screen healthy adults for thyroid disorders as recommended by the American Thyroid Association
  • Screen newborns for an underactive thyroid
  • Monitor thyroid replacement therapy in people with hypothyroidism
  • Diagnose and monitor female infertility problems

Free T4 - $15

This test is normally used in conjunction with the TSH test to help differentiate between hyper- and hypohyroidism.

Urinalysis - $10.00

Urinalysis can be used to reveal diseases that have gone under the radar because they do not produce obvious signs or symptoms. Urine is collected in the lab and tested for an array of disorders, including urinary tract infection, kidney disease and diabetes. Results should be evaluated by a physician or other healthcare practitioner to determine if further testing is needed.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel - $35

This is a general wellness test that screens for many diseases related to the kidneys, bones, liver, GI tract, and nutrition levels. An overnight fast is required for this test.

Basic Metabolic Panel - $25

A Basic Metabolic Panel screens for many diseases related to the kidneys and GI tract. An overnight fast is required for this test.

Glucose - $10.00

Diabetes is a common disease that begins with few symptoms. Glucose testing can be used to screen healthy individuals for diabetes. Or, screening can occur if you are at high risk for developing diabetes or if you develop symptoms that suggest diabetes. Individuals who are overweight, over 40-years-old or have a family history of diabetes are at high risk. If you develop excessive thirst, sudden weight loss, and frequent urination, these symptoms can point to diabetes. When these symptoms appear, a person may have already had diabetes for several years. Another reason for the screening is a temporary type of diabetes called gestational diabetes, which can develop when a woman is pregnant. An overnight fast is required for this test.

SARS-CoV-2 IgG Antibody - $70

IgG antibodies show if you had a previous COVID-19 infection.  The test may not find antibodies in someone with a current infection.  The recommended time frame for testing is 8-10 days after infection.  Results are informational only.  This test is not used to diagnose current conditions. Read more about the antibody test.

Walk-ins are welcome during business hours Monday through Friday or by appointment. For more information on the Prairie Lakes Direct Lab Access program, please contact the Prairie Lakes Laboratory Department at 605-882-7750.

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Onsite services | Bloodmobile