Re: Genova Diagnostics question

[Guest guest]

And yes, I did read the discounts file on Genova where it states:

" When you complete your order, please remember to quote `Thyroid Patient

Advocacy UK as `PRACTITIONER', or you will not be given the discount. "

[Guest guest]

I did some Genova tests a few weeks before Xmas.

My GP had ordered some annual blood tests, and the nurses were happy to draw

extra blood for the Genova vials. They didnt question it at all, simply handed

me the vials at the end. If you are doing saliva tests as well, try and

co-ordinate so they all get shipped off together - the shipper that Genova

recommends was efficient as well.

By ordering using the name TPA it does appear that a copy of the blood tests

goes to Sheila (is that right Sheila?) but I found it very easy to get them to

email me a copy, on the day the results were ready (normally 7 days after I sent

the blood off).

I am extremely impressed with the service from Genova! The only thing to notice

is that Reverse T3 isn't part of the standard thyroid panel, and has to be

ordered separately - I wont mention that the NHS has driven us to having to pay

over £200 for blood and adrenal saliva tests to diagnose our own conditions!

>

> And yes, I did read the discounts file on Genova where it states:

>

> " When you complete your order, please remember to quote `Thyroid Patient

Advocacy UK as `PRACTITIONER', or you will not be given the discount. "

>

[Guest guest]

I want to order 3 test kits. I was reading on the website that the results arereleased to the practitioner only.

Hi,

It's not a problem – just order whatever kits you want either by email

kitorders@...

or phone 020 8336 7754 , which is a dedicated test order line. Please remember to state TPA-UK as your practitioner, else you will not be given the discount.

The kits with instructions will be sent directly to you, and the results will be either emailed or send by snail mail (if you so wish) also directly to you – nobody else.

Results will take between 5-10 days, depending on which tests you order.

Best wishes,

[Guest guest]

There is an arrangement between TPA and Genova that is accepted.

Members order their tests from Genova quoting Thyroid Patient Advocacy as 'Practitioner'

but the results are sent direct to the individual members and not to TPA. In

all the time we have been doing this, only two results were sent to me, which I

forwarded immediately to the member. This happened on both occasions because

somebody new had been dealt with these cases and they were not aware of this

rule. Once Genova have sent the results to you, you can send them to Dr P or

take them with you when you see him at the end of January.

Whether or not a GP would charge you for taking your blood is

between you and him/her. it depends on your relationship I think. So there is

no black and white answer to this one. Sometimes, a nurse will draw the blood

for you again, if you have a good relationship with her/him.

Luv - Sheila

I want to order 3 test kits. I was reading on

the website that the results are released to the practitioner only.

I want to see Dr. Barry Peatfield at the end of January as he will be in my

area but I was hoping to have these tests done before then so I can present the

results to him on the first consultation.

So am I right in assuming that Genova won't release the test results to me or

can I order the tests without being referred by a practitioner? If so, how

would I receive the results, by post or email?

Also, would I be charged for the phlembotomy by my local NHS GP surgery?

I've never done this before so pardon me if I sound a little silly.

Thanks.

[Guest guest]

It's makes sense that you would ask such a question - you are

not the first. I need to write this information on the Genova Discount File to

let people know that the results will be sent direct to them, so thanks for

giving this an airing. This is all a long learning process both for members and

the TPA Team..

Luv - Sheila

From: thyroid treatment

[mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of eiji.shinjo

Sent: 04 January 2011 15:59

thyroid treatment

Subject: Re: Genova Diagnostics question

And yes, I did read the discounts file on

Genova where it states:

" When you complete your order, please remember to quote `Thyroid Patient

Advocacy UK as `PRACTITIONER', or you will not be given the discount. "

[Guest guest]

Whether or not a GP would charge you for taking your blood is between you and him/her. it depends on your relationship I think. So there is no black and white answer to this one. Sometimes, a nurse will draw the blood for you again, if you have a good relationship with her/him.

I was in the same position a few weeks ago – ordered a blood TFT kit from Genova and went down to my local clinic to ask if they would take the blood. "Certainly, the receptionist replied – we'll do that for you.... Is it for research?" – "no - I foolishly and honestly replied - it's a private blood test" ..... pause..... " oh, in that case we will have to charge you". "Ok, that's fine (expecting a tenner)- how much will that be then?"............

Wait for it......... "that'll be £ 32 per person" (hubby needed one too)........

Once I got over the shock, I thank her, turned around, went home and phoned my neighbour (who happens to be a GP) to ask if she would do the honours...... - she was happy to oblige.

Honestly, I thought that was daylight robbery.... free on NHS, free for research, but £ 64 for sticking a needle in our veins privately, I was not prepared to fork out! ....... drawing blood is not rocket science – any half decent nurse can do it.

That happened in a `rich' little market town in Surrey. I have heard from others in different parts of the UK that there is a nominal charge or no charge.... but it's worth finding out beforehand. I understand that Genova offers a blood letting service (presumably for free) if someone lived close enough to the Genova lab South of London.

One way around the charges might be to ask the GP for some other blood test that s/he is prepared to order, and whilst at the blood draw to ask the nurse to fill the Genova tubes as well .......

Good luck ,

[Guest guest]

Brilliant, thank you all for answering my question in such detail!

>

> There is an arrangement between TPA and Genova that is accepted. Members

> order their tests from Genova quoting Thyroid Patient Advocacy as

> 'Practitioner' but the results are sent direct to the individual members and

not to TPA.

[Ed]

[Guest guest]

My blood was drawn at the local hospital phlebotomy department, so this must

just vary depndong on where you live. My GP also said he was happy for the

practise nurse to do it (free of charge) as, I think, he has the sense to

realise that I am actually SAVING the NHS money by taking charge of my own

treatment - he is quite forward thinking for a GP in some ways, but wont step

outside of NHS mantra to prescribe me cortisol he has though referred me to

an endo, and if I can get him (even privately) to prescribe HC then the GP is

happy to take over - I get my T3 this way

[Guest guest]

Hi,

When you send the tests in to Genova, make sure your email address is marked on

them clearly..... if you ask them to email the results, you get them on the day

they are done, and it means you can print off as many copies of the results as

you like......

They send you the results, not TPA.

>

> I want to order 3 test kits. I was reading on the website that the results are

released to the practitioner only.

>

> I want to see Dr. Barry Peatfield at the end of January as he will be in my

area but I was hoping to have these tests done before then

[Guest guest]

Ok, I just finished ordering on the phone and didn't know beforehand that the

ordering process was automated i.e I didn't speak to a live operator.

However I want to know what happens next as during the automated process my name

and address were taken, patients name and referring practioner, my mobile number

and who to invoice the test kit payments to.

I wasn't asked which kits I wanted and card details were not taken.

What's next?

Thanks.

> >

> > I want to order 3 test kits. I was reading on the website that the results

are released to the practitioner only.

> >

> > I want to see Dr. Barry Peatfield at the end of January as he will be in my

area but I was hoping to have these tests done before then

>

[Guest guest]

Test results from Genova are sent directly to the person who

ordered them. Results only go to doctors, and I am not one. I have had a couple

of results come to me by mistake but I sent them immediately to the member.

Sometimes, also, when somebody has made an appointment to see Dr Peatfield when

he holds a clinic at my home and they need to get the test results before the

appointment, to be on the safe side, they have asked for them to be sent to my

address.

Some results can take longer than 7 days (I think this is the 24

hour urine test) so don't expect them back for around 10 days.

Luv - Sheila

By ordering using the name TPA it does appear that a copy of the blood tests

goes to Sheila (is that right Sheila?) but I found it very easy to get them to

email me a copy, on the day the results were ready (normally 7 days after I

sent the blood off).

[Guest guest]

However I want to know what happens next as during the automated process my nameand address were taken, patients name and referring practioner, my mobile numberand who to invoice the test kit payments to.I wasn't asked which kits I wanted and card details were not taken.

I have never ordered the kits by phone, so I don't know, but what I would do is send Genova an email and explain that you were not asked which kits you wanted.

Payment is not taken (therefore they do not need any card details) until you send back your samples, and then you have a choice – either you include a cheque, or you put your card details on the accompanying form. Remind them again in your email that you are a member of the TPA-UK .... just in case. They will most likely reply to your email and let you know when they will send/have sent the kits.

Best wishes,

[Guest guest]

I did it all by email, worked very efficiently!

[Guest guest]

And the lead times that Genova states for each test i.e 7 days, is that 7

working days i.e Mon-Fri?

I'm very short on time as Dr. P's outreach clinic is in my area from 20 Jan to

23 Jan so I need all the results before then.

>

> I did it all by email, worked very efficiently!

>

[Guest guest]

Now just sit back and wait for the postman to deliver whatever

'kit' you ordered and follow the instructions and try to return all the tests

at the same time - so you more or less get the results at the same time. You

will be invoiced for the cost of the tests later.

Luv - Sheila

Ok, I just finished ordering on the phone and

didn't know beforehand that the ordering process was automated i.e I didn't

speak to a live operator.

However I want to know what happens next as during the automated process my

name and address were taken, patients name and referring practioner, my mobile

number and who to invoice the test kit payments to.

I wasn't asked which kits I wanted and card details were not taken.

What's next?

[Guest guest]

Thanks Sheila, ordered no problem via email and kits are arriving tommorow. I

plan to send them off on Monday.

>

> Now just sit back and wait for the postman to deliver whatever 'kit' you

> ordered and follow the instructions and try to return all the tests at the

> same time - so you more or less get the results at the same time. You will

> be invoiced for the cost of the tests later.

>

> Luv - Sheila

>

[Guest guest]

If you are doing the 24 hour salivary adrenal profile, make sure

that you do it on an ordinary busy day and not a day when everything is quiet

and you sit in a chair reading the Sunday papers. Remember, you are testing to

see how your adrenals react to the daily stresses of life.

Good luck

Luv - Sheila

Thanks Sheila, ordered no problem via email and

kits are arriving tommorow. I plan to send them off on Monday.

>

> Now just sit back and wait for the postman to deliver whatever 'kit' you

> ordered and follow the instructions and try to return all the tests at the

> same time - so you more or less get the results at the same time. You will

> be invoiced for the cost of the tests later.

>

> Luv - Sheila

>