Are at-home test kits the future of medicine?

HUNTLEY – Most individuals are familiar with associating November with Thanksgiving festivities, but this month is also notable for bringing awareness to diabetes. Why is this important to know? With over 30 million Americans having been diagnosed with diabetes to date, people afflicted with this chronic illness are impacted at higher rates of complications if diagnosed with COVID-19, according to the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.

Yet it is not just diabetics that are at risk, senior citizens and the immunocompromised also need to be vigilant about limiting their time outside of the home. Such circumstances may lead high risk individuals to finding other means for preventing exposure, including opting not to go see their health care providers in person for preventative screenings.

This is where the convenience of at-home screening kits come into play. The way it works, a person orders a kit specific to their health needs and after administering a test at home, they send out their sample where it is reviewed by a physician hired by the at-home kit service provider.

While some might feel weary sending off test samples relating to their health, for the most part, at-home test kits seem to be positively received.

Mary Fiala, President of the Book Discussion Club, recalls having to use an at-home kit. “Because of back surgery, my doctor recommended the colorectal test. It was easy and I would recommend it.”

Jim Darow, another fellow Sun City resident, has also had experience with these kits, explaining that both he and his wife have used them in the past.

“I consider them very effective. I used one that continues to monitor blood and my wife did a colorectal test one from Cologuard. They work in cooperation with providing the doctor with information, and he or she could detect a pattern and could help with a diagnosis. I find them to be very positive and an effect tool,” Darow said. “I can’t imagine somebody not using one. I would highly recommend it.”

Opinions regarding such a service does appear to be dependent on individual circumstances.

CEO and Founder of Compassionate Senior Care LLC, Rochelle McAdam, surveyed some of her elderly clients that rely on caregivers for basic needs and stated that most were skeptical of utilizing at-home test kits for fear of not being able to provide a sample correctly.

In response to the survey she stated, “In-home testing for the elderly is convenient only if the senior is independent [enough] to administer the self-test and the instructions are clear and concise. However, if the senior is in need of daily living assistance, then going to the doctor would be a better experience.”

In light of the pandemic, it’s no surprise that one of the most popular at-home kits on the market are COVID-19 home collection kits. One of which is being sold by a growing Austin-based startup company, Everlywell.

Christina Song, Everlywell’s Director of Communications, stated in an email correspondence with the Sun Day that they were the second company to be authorized for at-home COVID-19 testing back in May of this year.

“We were also the first (and only) provider that was authorized by the FDA to work with an increasing number of laboratories over time. Everlywell was created to offer consumers a more convenient alternative to traditional lab testing, with tests for things like fertility, cholesterol, indoor & outdoor allergies, vitamin deficiencies, colon cancer, etc.,” Song said.

While Everlywell’s COVID test may come with a hefty $109 price tag, Song explains that the test is provided at no profit to Everlywell.

“The cost goes to cover things like shipping, lab processing costs, telemedicine, kit components, and operational cost, of which shipping and lab processing are the most expensive items,” she said.

Everlywell features a large array of physician-approved at-home test kits, which for some seems to be the ideal solution to forgoing traditional lab testing methods, but this does not mean it is the right solution for all. Residents should always seek the advice of their physician or other qualified healthcare provider in regards to questions about their health.