Making an informed choice

Risks and downsides of a test

Having a test done is a choice. Here you can read what to expect: the pros and cons, how reliable a result is, what can happen during sample collection and what to do if the result shows something you did not expect.

In short

A test does not make a diagnosis
No test is 100% reliable
Discuss an abnormal result with your GP

Before you order

What a test does and does not do

A test is a snapshot. You see what can be measured in your body at that moment, not what was there yesterday or will be tomorrow. A test does not make a diagnosis and does not replace your GP.

We send you the measured values with the laboratory's reference range. What those values mean for you, given your age, symptoms, medical history and lifestyle, is best discussed with your GP.

Pros

A favourable result can reassure you.
You get information that helps you ask your GP a more targeted question.
A disease or increased risk can be found early, so you can act in time.
You decide yourself when and which tests you do, without a referral.
You collect the sample at home or at a collection point nearby.
The result is yours. We share nothing with third parties without your consent.

Cons

An abnormal result can lead to follow-up tests at your GP or a specialist.
A follow-up test or treatment can itself have risks or side effects.
You may worry unnecessarily about a result that later turns out not to matter.
You may find something you have no plan for yet, such as an increased risk for which there is no treatment.
We have no contract with health insurers. The costs are usually your own.
When taking out new insurance or a mortgage, you must answer health questions honestly. A discovered increased risk can make that harder.
No test is one hundred percent reliable. The result can point to something that is not there, or miss something that is.

Reliability

How reliable is a test?

No test is one hundred percent reliable. How good the result is depends on the type of test, the laboratory, your situation and the moment you test.

Is a test one hundred percent reliable?

No. There is always a chance that a result points to something that is not there, or misses something that is. How reliable a specific analysis is and what can distort the result is shown on the test page under the Analyses tab.

What if the result points to something that is not right?

Sometimes a test points to something that is not there. Then you may worry unnecessarily. The reverse also happens: the test shows nothing while there is something, and you feel reassured when you should not. In both cases it helps to discuss the result with your GP, who looks at the whole picture.

How do I know which test is more reliable than others?

On every test page, the Analyses tab shows per analysis how reliable it is, what its limitations are and which guidelines and sources this is based on. Unsure? Call your GP or check Thuisarts.nl (Dutch).

What quality requirements apply to the laboratories?

We work with accredited Dutch diagnostic and hospital laboratories and the German Medlab Stein (part of Limbach Gruppe, ISO 15189). For specific home-collection analyses (hair, saliva, stool, swab) we use RP Sanitas Humanus in Kamperland (ISO 9001 / LRQA). Which lab handles which test is shown on the Our laboratories page.

Sample collection

What can happen during sample collection

Which collection method belongs to a test depends on the test. For each method you can read what to expect and what to watch for.

Blood draw at a collection point
A needle in a vein is a safe routine procedure. What can happen: a bruise or small haematoma, mild dizziness (tell the phlebotomist if you have had this before) or, rarely, a mild inflammation of the puncture site. Drink water beforehand, stay seated for five minutes afterwards and do not lift anything heavy with that arm for the first few hours.
Finger prick at home
A finger prick is a quick prick on the side of your fingertip with a sterile lancet. For about nine in ten people it works first time. Do not squeeze your finger hard: blood then mixes with tissue fluid (haemolysis) and the result becomes unusable. Wash your hands with warm water before the prick so the blood flows better. Not working? Contact us for a replacement kit.
Collecting urine
First morning urine is preferred for most urine tests (urine that has been in your bladder for four to eight hours). Wash your hands, clean the urethral opening and collect midstream urine: first stream into the toilet, the middle into the container, the rest into the toilet. Hand it in as soon as possible. Keep it in the fridge until then (at most 24 hours).
Collecting saliva
For saliva tests, especially hormone tests such as cortisol: do not eat, drink (except water), smoke, brush your teeth or take medication in the thirty minutes before collection. Do not eat liquorice on the day of collection, as it affects cortisol. Follow the times in the kit, for cortisol for example straight after waking up.
Collecting stool
Collect the stool in the supplied container or sheet. Avoid mixing with urine or toilet water. Close the container properly. Keep it cool and dark and preferably hand it in the same day.
Hair analysis
Chemically treated hair (dyed, bleached, permed) is not suitable: it changes the mineral composition. Some care products with selenium or zinc can affect the result. Important: the scientific basis for clinical decisions based on hair minerals is limited. On the test page under the Analyses tab you can read per analysis how reliable it is.
Swab at home
For self-collected swabs (for example vaginal screening or mycology): follow the kit instructions exactly for the correct placement of the brush or swab. For tests where blood makes the sample unusable, do not collect during your period. The kit instructions state this per test.

How sample collection works, step by step

After your result

If the result is abnormal or shows something unexpected

What to do with an abnormal result, what an incidental finding is and how we handle your data.

If the result is abnormal

An abnormal result does not immediately mean something serious is going on. BloedCheckup does not give an individual medical interpretation. Discuss the result with your GP, who can assess the values in the context of your symptoms, age, medical history and lifestyle.

The laboratory report contains the measured values and usually reference ranges. For values far outside the range, or results that call for quick action, we advise contacting your GP or the out-of-hours GP service the same day.

Finding something unexpected

Sometimes a test finds something you were not specifically looking for, such as a raised liver value during a general check-up or a DNA result that is also relevant for your family. This is called an incidental finding. We have a separate policy for this, with a choice when you order.

Read our incidental findings policy

Privacy and storage

Your health data are special category personal data under the GDPR and we treat them that way. You receive your result encrypted via Zivver. The laboratory keeps the source result for the legal retention period for medical data. We do not share your data with third parties without your consent.

Read our privacy statement

Costs and complaints

What you pay and where you can go

Costs and reimbursement

You pay for the test yourself. We have no contract with health insurers; preventive tests you choose yourself are usually not covered by basic insurance. Some supplementary insurance policies do cover them, so check your policy. Employers sometimes reimburse it through a health budget.

Not satisfied or a complaint

If something goes wrong, we want to hear about it. We start with a conversation or an email exchange. If we cannot resolve it together, you can turn to our independent complaints officer (Quasir). If that does not solve it either, you can submit your dispute to the Geschilleninstantie Zorggeschil.

View our complaints procedure

Checklist

Questions to ask yourself

Go through these questions before you order a test. Unsure about one or more answers? Discuss it with your GP first.

01Which question do I want this test to answer?
02Do I know enough about the condition or risk factor to place the result?
03What will I do with a favourable result? And with an unfavourable one?
04Am I willing to have follow-up tests at my GP if needed?
05Do I know which risks or side effects a possible follow-up test or treatment can have?
06Do the benefits outweigh the downsides for me?

More about your test

WhatsApp+31 (0)412 23 69 61 E-mailinfo@bloedcheckup.nl

Weekdays 09:00 to 17:00

What a test does and does not do

A test is a snapshot. You see what can be measured in your body at that moment, not what was there yesterday or will be tomorrow. A test does not make a diagnosis and does not replace your GP.

We send you the measured values with the laboratory's reference range. What those values mean for you, given your age, symptoms, medical history and lifestyle, is best discussed with your GP.

Risks and downsides of a test

What a test does and does not do

Pros

Cons

How reliable is a test?

What can happen during sample collection

Blood draw at a collection point

Finger prick at home

Collecting urine

Collecting saliva

Collecting stool

Hair analysis

Swab at home

If the result is abnormal or shows something unexpected

If the result is abnormal

Finding something unexpected

Privacy and storage

What you pay and where you can go

Costs and reimbursement

Not satisfied or a complaint

Questions to ask yourself

Read what others say too

More about your test

Risks and downsides of a test

What a test does and does not do

Pros

Cons

How reliable is a test?

What can happen during sample collection

Blood draw at a collection point

Finger prick at home

Collecting urine

Collecting saliva

Collecting stool

Hair analysis

Swab at home

If the result is abnormal or shows something unexpected

If the result is abnormal

Finding something unexpected

Privacy and storage

What you pay and where you can go

Costs and reimbursement

Not satisfied or a complaint

Questions to ask yourself

Read what others say too

More about your test