Sink Tests
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My question is on the terms Sink Tests. A friend of mine from the medical industry told me that there is this practice called Sink Tests which some path labs indulge in. The concept is simple, take a sample, throw it in the sink, call the Doctor, ask him what to write, publish it in the report and hand it to the patient. Obviously the Doctor will set them on a path that brings revenue for him. How much truth there is to this practice. Many of us in big cities go to branded labs like Lal/SRL who don't do such things (hopefully) but what about those who cant afford to. What about smaller cities?
Someone please enlighten me. My parents live in a smaller town, are diabetic and we have had an instance where my father's sugar was told to be 450 only to find out later it was wrong. more
My question is on the terms Sink Tests. A friend of mine from the medical industry told me that there is this practice called Sink Tests which some path labs indulge in. The concept is simple, take a sample, throw it in the sink, call the Doctor, ask him what to write, publish it in the report and hand it to the patient. Obviously the Doctor will set them on a path that brings revenue for him. How much truth there is to this practice. Many of us in big cities go to branded labs like Lal/SRL who don't do such things (hopefully) but what about those who cant afford to. What about smaller cities?
Someone please enlighten me. My parents live in a smaller town, are diabetic and we have had an instance where my father's sugar was told to be 450 only to find out later it was wrong. more
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Exactly. Thats what I meant when I said you need to find a good doctor. As for labs, a reputed lab is unlikely to do such things since its a matter of their reputation too. Besides they take references from so many doctors. They cant call them all more
Mar 02
This is shocking, but no physician will send his/her patients to unreliable labs, its a matter of their own reputation. I heard this practice in small towns and govt. hospitals... but what can we do? more
Mar 02
You are right sir but the problem is that most doctors only prescribe tests and one has to go to a path lab for that. I had always believed that Lal Path Labs are very dependable but after reading the Sink Test' news, my faith is shaken. We never know which labs are good and which are bad. more
Mar 01
I agree with you. That's why they say you always need to get a good doctor. Not all doctors do it. Personally i ask the patients to choose their own labs. But then not all labs do a good job. Sorry to say there is no easy way around it, except getting a good doctor. more
Mar 01
