Lab tests for pharmacies
Unlock the potential of laboratory diagnostics for your pharmacy.Benefits of lab testing
Leverage the strategic & economic potential of lab tests for your pharmacy
Extend advisory capabilities
Expert advice based on diagnostic services.
Strengthen role as primary care provider
Establishing diagnostics in the pharmacy to enable testing and treatment of everyday health concerns.
Unlock diagnostics as a revenue stream
Access new market segments and increase revenue potential in existing business areas.
How it works
01
Test selection & activation
With the assistance of pharmacy staff, the customer selects the appropriate test and independently activates it online. Here, necessary information for laboratory analysis is provided, and an account is set up to ensure the protection of health data.
02
Taking a sample
Depending on the sample medium and customer preference, samples are collected either with the assistance of the pharmacy staff on-site (e.g., capillary blood sample), or taken by the customer themselves at home (e.g., vaginal swab).
03
Shipment & analysis of sample
Sample is packed into the provided return box and dropped off in any Swiss Post mailbox. The sample will be analyzed by our laboratory partner Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab) like a sample from a medical practice.
04
Provision of results
If necessary, the results will be initially reviewed and interpreted by a physician. Results will either be directly provided online to the end customer or initially made accessible in an online dashboard for the pharmacy.
Possible use cases
Lab tests can be integrated into your pharmacy offering in various areas.
Prevention
Expand prevention offering into a holistic health check
Pharmacies increasingly offer certain diagnostic measures for prevention (e.g., blood pressure measurement, sometimes cholesterol checks).
However, complex analyses that require interpretation by a physician and/or laboratory examination are generally not feasible for pharmacists due to lack of access to doctors and/or laboratory infrastructure.
By integrating the Health Yourself tests and established preventive services, the pharmacy can conduct a comprehensive health check, including:
- Blood pressure measurement
Health Check Basic (sale and sample collection at the pharmacy, results are interpreted by a Health Yourself physician and then displayed to the pharmacist in the dashboard, enabling them to contact the customer as an additional service if needed)
- Possible additional tests such as colon cancer screening, Vitamin B12 test, depending on the individual risk profile.
- Additional revenue from prevention services, especially as cross-sell to individuals who come to the pharmacy for services like blood pressure measurement or vaccinations
- Strengthening the pharmacy's role as a primary care provider by being able to offer comprehensive health screening
Associated product
Health Check Basic
Key Product Facts
The Health Check Basic checks 15+ key health parameters to assess organ & metabolic health.
Results include an individual doctor´s report with interpretations and recommendations for action.
Analysed parameters
The test analyses the following parameters:
- Small blood count
- Hb1Ac
- Lipid Panel (HDL, LDL, Triglycerides)
- ALT
- Kreatinin
- Uric acid
- Ferritin
- CRP
Sample medium
Capillary blood sample (EDTA & Serum)
Additional information
Additional information about the product:
Go to product page >
Associated product
Colon Cancer Screening
Key Product Facts
This test checks for human hemoglobin in the patient's stool as an early sign for colorectal cancer (FIT test).
Swiss cancer screening recommends to take this test every second year for people over 50 years of age.
A positive test does NOT equal a cancer diagnosis. It simply means additional diagnostics such as a colonoscopy are required to assess the health situation of the patient.
Analysed parameters
The test analyses the following parameters:
- Human hemoglobin (FIT Test)
Sample medium
Stool sample
Additional information
Additional information about the product:
Go to product page >
Download FIT Test Info Medisyn (DE) >
Common health issues
Vitamin & Nutrient Health: Individuals who purchase dietary supplements usually need to be retested to ensure that the deficiency has been addressed. Accordingly, when purchasing a supplement, a corresponding vitamin and nutrient test could be offered as an additional product.
Fatigue: Fatigue is a common health concern, but currently, the investigation of its causes in pharmacies is limited. With the Fatigue Check, customers can receive an evaluation of the causes and, depending on the results, targeted treatment options (such as iron supplements) can be offered.
Allergies: Allergies are an increasingly prevalent and often distressing health issue. With our Allergy Test portfolio, allergy diagnostics of clinical quality are now accessible in pharmacies.
Additional revenue and improved service offering for individuals who visit the pharmacy due to issues related to vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, or allergies.
Associated product
360° Vitamin & Nutrient Check
Key Product Facts
The 360° Vitamin & Nutrient Check measures iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D status.
Analysed parameters
The test analyses the following parameters:
- Iron (Ferritin)
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
Sample medium
Capillary blood sample (serum)
Additional information
Additional information about the product:
Go to product page >
Associated product
360° Fatigue Check
Key Product Facts
The 360° Fatigue Check checks for 6 common causes for persistent tiredness.
Results include an individual doctor´s report with interpretations and recommendations for action.
Analysed parameters
The test analyses the following parameters:
- Eisen (Ferritin)
- CRP
- Vitamin D
- TSH
- Kreatinin
- ALT
Sample medium
Capillary blood sample (serum)
Additional information
Additional information about the product:
Go to product page >
Associated product
Basic Hayfever & Allergy Check
Key Product Facts
The test assesses presence and severity of an allergic reaction to 50+ common allergens with a focus on possible triggers of hayfever symptomts. That includes:
- 10+ most common types of pollen which cause hayfever
- alternative hayfever symptom triggers such as dust mites and animal shed.
Beyond that, it checks for allergens such as foods, insects and other animals.
Analysed parameters
This test checks or over 50 allergens ranging from common pollen to mites, animal dander and several foods. Please refer to the product page under Additional information for the complete list of analysed parameters.
Sample medium
Capillary blood sample (serum)
Additional information
Additional information about the product:
Go to product page >
Sexual health
Over the past years, the number of sexually transmitted infections in Switzerland has been steadily increasing. Pharmacies have already become an established point of contact for situations involving the risk of sexually transmitted diseases: emergency contraception.
Every year, over 100,000 women in Switzerland use emergency contraception, which is primarily obtained through pharmacies. When unprotected - most likely unplanned - sexual intercourse has occurred, there is a risk of having contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD), presenting significant potential for the additional sale of an STD test.
Additional revenue stream from an adjacent market segment.
Associated product
Female Basics STD Test
Key Product Facts
The Female Basics STD Test uses a PCR test to screen for the most frequent sexually transmitted infections in Switzerland, Chlamydia and Gonorrhea (commonly known as "Tripper"), in women.
Results are typically available online 2-3 business days after the sample is sent to the laboratory.
Testing for Chlamydia and Tripper is especially important for young women, since infections do not cause any symptoms in over 50% of cases. Untreated infections can lead to complications such as infertility or ectopic pregnancies.
Analysed parameters
The test analyses the following parameters:
- Chlamydia: Chlamydia trachomatis PCR
- Gonorrhea: Neisseria gonorrhoeae PCR
Sample medium
Vaginal swab
Additional information
Additional information about the product:
Go to product page >
Selection of studies on the reliability of testing for sexually transmitted diseases with self-collected samples:
NIHR study >
Pediatric & adolescent gynacology study >
Associated product
Male Basics STD Test
Key Product Facts
The Male Basics STD Test uses a PCR test to screen for the most frequent sexually transmitted infections in Switzerland, Chlamydia and Gonorrhea (commonly known as "Tripper"), in men.
Results are typically available online 2-3 business days after the sample is sent to the laboratory.
Analysed parameters
The test analyses the following parameters:
- Chlamydia: Chlamydia trachomatis PCR
- Gonorrhea: Neisseria gonorrhoeae PCR
Sample medium
Urine sample
Additional information
Additional information about the product:
Go to product page >
Selection of studies on the reliability of testing for sexually transmitted diseases with self-collected samples:
NIHR study >
Pediatric & adolescent gynacology study >
Associated product
Premium STD Test
Key Product Facts
This test checks for HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B & Hepatitis C in women and men based on a capillary blood sample.
Results are generally available online 2-3 working days after sending the sample to the laboratory.
Analysed parameters
The test analyses the following parameters:
- HIV: HIV Ag/Ak
- Syphilis: Lues Screen (IgG, IgM)
- Hepatitis C: Anti-HCV
- Hepatitis B: HBs-Antigen, Anti-HBc
Sample medium
Capillary blood sample
Additional information
Additional information about the product:
Go to product page >
Contact
Dominic Schnüriger will be happy to help you.
Email: dominic@yourself.health
Phone: +41 79 838 99 35
You have questions about our tests? We have answers.
How is sample viability ensured during transport?
In general, we only offer analysis parameters that exhibit sufficient sample stability in terms of duration and environmental factors such as temperature. An appropriate clarification is carried out in each case with Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab) as the laboratory partner before a new analysis parameter is added to the range.
To ensure that a sample does not become outdated due to a delay during transportation, the customer provides the collection time when activating the test online. This information is transmitted to the laboratory and verified upon receipt of the sample. If a sample is outdated, we will be notified, and the customer will receive a new test kit free of charge.
Do the results go to the customer directly or can we receive them and then reach out to the customer?
Both options are possible. With the consent of the end customer, results as well as doctor's reports - for tests that include one - can initially be made available to the pharmacy in an online dashboard. The end customer will only receive the results once they are released by the pharmacy with the click of a button. This allows, for example, proactive communication and potentially further consultation by the pharmacy before the results are delivered.
Are tests covered by health insurance?
Currently, the test costs are generally not covered by health insurance.
Part of the reason for this is that some services themselves are not covered by basic insurance. This is the case, for example, for sexually transmitted diseases and other preventive services.
For tests that are generally eligible for coverage, such as the Fatigue Check or Vitamin & Nutrient Tests, a prescription from a doctor is generally required. We are currently working on implementing a corresponding process and expect to offer this starting from the end of Q1 / beginning of Q2 2024. Additionally, we are closely monitoring developments regarding authorization for prescriptions by pharmacists.
How does the analysis quality compare to a test taken at the doctor's office?
All samples are analyzed by Medisyn (formerly known as Synlab), a leading Swiss laboratory service provider, using the same analysis methods as those applied when evaluating a sample collected by a doctor. Therefore, the analysis quality is generally the same.
For tests in which sample collection is typically done by the end customer from home due to the nature of the sample medium, below you will find additional studies on the comparability of test accuracy compared to sample collection in a clinical context.
Selection of studies on the reliability of home sample collection compared to the clinical environment for sexually transmitted diseases:
Journal of Pediatric & Adolescent Gynacology >
Clinical Infectious Diseases >
How does the integration of the Health Yourself Tests into a pharmacy portfolio work?
First, the pharmacy selects the tests to be integrated.
Subsequently, if desired, access to the Health Yourself infrastructure is set up to receive test results and conduct callbacks to customers. This process typically takes 5-10 business days. Additionally, the first test order is delivered.
Prior to the start of sales, if the pharmacy desires, a training session can be conducted with Health Yourself's Chief Medical Officer to address any questions that the staff may have.
Generally, we expect to be able to start sales within 2-3 weeks of agreeing to collaborate.