Lab testing is an important step in treatment that takes the guesswork out of evaluating your health. Board-certified nurse practitioner Gina Hardage-Athetis, MSc, FNP-BC, PsyD, PhD, at Andrew's Compassionate Legacy orders bloodwork, urine analysis, and imaging studies when appropriate for patients across Washington state. Results inform medication and treatment decisions and give both you and Dr. Hardage-Athetis a clearer baseline to work from. Call the office or schedule a telehealth on-line or office based treatment today to learn more.
Lab testing refers to bloodwork, urine analysis, and imaging studies ordered to better understand your physical health as part of your overall care. These tests give Dr. Hardage-Athetis the clinical information she needs to make safe, informed decisions about your treatment.
Substance use affects the body in ways that aren’t always visible during a conversation. Lab results can reveal organ stress, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, and other health factors that directly influence how you feel and how your body responds to treatment.
Depending on your health history and treatment goals, Dr. Hardage-Athetis may order:
A comprehensive blood panel can assess liver and kidney function, blood cell counts, cholesterol, blood sugar, hormone levels, and nutritional status. Long-term substance use can affect all of these, and knowing where your health stands helps inform a safer, more targeted care plan.
Urine testing can detect the presence of substances in your system and monitor how your body is processing medications. It’s one of the most common tools in substance use disorder medicine because it provides a noninvasive snapshot of recent substance use.
When necessary, Dr. Hardage-Athetis may refer you for imaging, such as X-rays or ultrasounds, to assess organ health or investigate symptoms that need a closer look.
Physical health and mental health are closely connected. Liver stress, thyroid imbalances, and vitamin deficiencies can contribute to fatigue, mood changes, and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms often overlap with depression, anxiety, and withdrawal.
Without lab data, it’s easy to misattribute physical causes to mental health conditions or miss underlying issues that could complicate recovery.
Lab testing results also give Dr. Hardage-Athetis a way to track progress over time. Liver enzyme, blood pressure, or nutritional marker improvements show up in the numbers before you may notice them yourself.
Dr. Hardage-Athetis orders testing based on your individual needs, not as a blanket protocol. The goal is always to understand you as a whole person and build a care plan that reflects what your body actually needs.
Call the office or schedule your telehealth appointment at Andrew’s Compassionate Legacy online today.