Doctors are trained to take a medical history as an initial assessment of a patient. In the history, the doctor should ask pertinent questions in order to understand what is ailing the patient. Next, the doctor should perform a physical exam to assess the patient’s body tissues. Finally, the doctor should order laboratory tests to confirm or exclude possible diagnoses.

After all that, the doctor should meet back with the patient to review the collective findings of the medical history, physical exam, and lab tests to develop a treatment plan that will address the patient’s complaints.

The tests are designed not only to identify problems, but also to assess risk. For example, cholesterol levels are tested to assess a patient’s risk for heart disease. How effective is this test? Does measuring fasting cholesterol (as well as LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides) really provide useful information about your risk? Do lab tests provide information about the health of a patient?

The short answer is “yes.” Laboratory testing is an important part of my practice. In fact, patients have told me that I order a lot of them.

The reason I order lab tests is to not only confirm or deny what I say upon physical examination, but also to assess the nutritional and health status of a patient.