Choosing a blood test provider: what to look for

A blood result is more than a row of numbers. The same value can be fine for one person and require follow-up for another, depending on age, sex, symptoms and medication. The difference between providers therefore lies mainly in what you receive after the analysis: just a table with numbers and arrows, or a result interpreted by a doctor in your context.

A BIG-registered doctor is listed in the statutory Dutch BIG register, may use the title of doctor and falls under medical disciplinary law. You can check that registration yourself. This is not a formality: it determines who carries responsibility for the review of your result.

The question to ask the provider: who reviews my result, is that person BIG-registered, and do I receive a personal explanation or only an overview of numbers?

At Bloodworks every report contains a personal doctor's interpretation: a registered doctor looks at your values as a whole and includes the information from your intake. If values are significantly abnormal, we proactively contact you.

The reliability of your result starts with the laboratory. ISO 15189 is the international standard for medical laboratories; in the Netherlands the Dutch Accreditation Council (RvA) assesses whether a laboratory meets that standard. Accreditation means independent oversight of methods, equipment, staff and quality control. If it is unclear which laboratory performs the analysis, there is nothing to verify either.

Also pay attention to the reference values: the values your result is compared against. These should come from the laboratory itself, because they depend on the measuring method used. A provider that overlays values of its own makes the result harder to interpret for you and your GP.

The question to ask: which laboratory analyses my blood, is it accredited to ISO 15189, and does the report show the laboratory's reference values?

Bloodworks works exclusively with certified, accredited Dutch laboratories, the same laboratories that also analyse for GPs and hospitals. We never show reference values of our own: those of the laboratory are leading, and our doctor adds interpretation and context.

Blood can be collected in different ways. With a venous draw, a professional takes blood from a vein in your arm. For many markers this is the standard in Dutch healthcare: there is enough blood for multiple tests and for a repeat measurement if needed, and the quality of the sample is easy to safeguard.

With an at-home finger prick test you collect a few drops of blood from your fingertip yourself. That is practical, because you do not have to leave the house, and for some markers it can work well. There are limitations: the sample volume is small, and a finger prick sample is more sensitive to dilution with tissue fluid and to haemolysis, damage to blood cells during collection. This can affect the result of some markers; how relevant that is differs per marker.

The question to ask: how is my blood collected, by whom, and is that method suitable for all the markers I want tested?

Bloodworks works with professional venous draws by experienced staff, at more than 800 affiliated collection points across the Netherlands.

Prices of blood tests look easy to compare, but they only are once you know what is included. Some providers charge separate draw, service or shipping fees on top of the test price, or fees for the report or an explanation. So never compare the from-price alone, but the total amount you actually pay.

The question to ask: what is the total price including the draw, the analysis, the review and the report, and are there any costs afterwards?

The Bloodworks model: The pricing is straightforward. Each individual marker has an all-in price that already includes the one-off blood draw fee of 29,-; the thyroid value TSH costs 69,- all-in, for example. If you combine several markers or smaller packages in one order, you pay that draw fee only once. From an order total of 225,- the blood draw fee is waived entirely; the large value packages are always above that level and are therefore fully all-in. Smaller theme packages, such as the Blood Count at 49,-, show their package price; if your order stays below 225,-, the one-off draw fee is added. Order 2 or more packages and you also receive a 10% combination discount. Every price includes the laboratory analysis, the review by a BIG-registered doctor and the report; there is nothing to pay afterwards.

A blood test is only as practical as the draw and the result make it. If you have to travel far, wait long for an appointment or wait weeks for the result, a test quickly gets postponed. If you want to measure a value again later to follow a trend, accessibility counts double.

The question to ask: how many collection points are near me, can I walk in without an appointment, and when do I receive my result?

Bloodworks works with more than 800 affiliated collection points across the Netherlands, so there is almost always one near you. At most locations you can walk in without an appointment; the location page shows the opening hours and how each location works. The result is usually available within 2 working days after the draw, with the doctor's interpretation included.

Blood results are medical data and fall under the strictest category of the GDPR. You may expect the same care from a provider that you are used to from a healthcare professional: confidential handling of your data, clear retention periods and no use for other purposes without your consent. For information security in healthcare there is also a Dutch standard, NEN 7510.

The questions to ask: how long do you keep my data, who has access to it, do you share anything with third parties, and which standards govern your information security?

At Bloodworks your result is yours. We share nothing without your consent, not even with your GP; sharing is possible and, with abnormal values, even advisable. Your data is processed in line with the GDPR and you can download and keep your report yourself.

Much of the value of a blood test lies in what happens after the result. An abnormal value without explanation leads to uncertainty, and sometimes to unnecessary worry or to missing a signal that deserves follow-up. Good aftercare means: an understandable explanation of what the deviation can mean, concrete advice on the next step and a report your GP can act on directly.

The question to ask: what happens if my result is abnormal, do I receive an explanation, and can I turn somewhere with my questions?

At Bloodworks every report contains the doctor's interpretation, including with abnormal values: what does this mean, how does it relate to your intake and what is a sensible next step. Where appropriate, the report advises discussing the result with your GP; if values are significantly abnormal, we proactively contact you.

Beyond the basic criteria above, there are differences you only notice after your first test, yet they largely determine how much value you get. When comparing, also look at these points, and at how Bloodworks handles them:

• Your values over time. A single result is a snapshot; the trend in your values often says more. At Bloodworks your personal dashboard tracks your values, so with repeat testing you see the trend.
• A written explanation for every deviation. A table of red and green numbers is not an explanation. Our doctors explain deviating values in writing in your report, in plain language and in your context.
• Proactive contact for strong deviations. If a value deviates strongly, we do not wait for you to open the report: we contact you and advise on the next step.
• Honest advice, even when it means selling less. If a test adds little for your situation, we say so. Our decision aid and medical team recommend what is useful, not what earns the most.
• Nationwide coverage. With 800+ blood draw locations across the Netherlands, there is almost always a location nearby, usually without an appointment.
• Fast turnaround. Your results with a doctor's interpretation are usually ready within 2 working days.
• Packages composed by doctors. Our value packages are pre-composed by the medical team, so the markers complement each other medically instead of you having to piece together separate tests.

If you want to put blood test providers side by side, it comes down to seven questions:

• Who reviews my result, and is that a registered doctor?
• Which laboratory analyses my blood, and is it accredited to ISO 15189?
• How is my blood collected, and does that method suit the markers I choose?
• What is the total price, and are there costs afterwards?
• How many collection points are nearby, and how fast is the result?
• How are privacy and data security arranged, and how long is data kept?
• What happens if a result is abnormal?

A provider that answers these questions clearly gives you the information you need to choose. If you are still unsure which test suits you, start simple, for example with the Blood Count, and also read our guides on blood testing without a referral and on reading your result.