You need to fast if your doctor has ordered a fasting test. This means that you cannot eat anything and may only drink clear water for 12-14 hours prior to your test. You should continue to take your medications unless otherwise instructed by your doctor. Some common fasting tests include: fasting glucose, fasting lipid panel, fasting metabolic panel, fasting cholesterol, HDL, or triglyceride. If you are uncertain about whether or not you should fast, please contact your healthcare provider.

If your doctor did not tell you how long to fast, you should not eat anything and only drink clear water for approximately 12-14 hours prior to the test.

Because certain test results may be influenced by what you eat or drink, we prefer that you do not have your blood drawn if your tests were ordered as fasting.

No, you can only have clear water prior to a fasting test for 12-14 hours, or for the time period that your healthcare provider has instructed.

It is always recommended that you speak with your health care provider regarding your tests and test results. You can find helpful information about lab testing by visiting this site. 

No, you do not need to make an appointment. 

Please bring your insurance card, your picture ID, and the doctor’s order for your lab tests.

Yes, however per California state law, you must first obtain authorization from your health care provider in order for the laboratory to release them directly to you. You can also request copies directly from your health care provider.

• Patients' direct access to lab test results is governed by two federal laws: (1) the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), which regulates all clinical lab testing performed on humans, and (2) the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, which exempts CLIA labs from providing lab test results directly to patients unless states allow it. Under CLIA, a lab can disclose patient test results only to (1) a referring lab, (2) an individual responsible for using the test results in the treatment context, or (3) an “authorized person.” States can define an “authorized person” as a health care provider, patient, or both.


• California State law, under California Business and Professions code §1288 requires that any person conducting or operating a clinical laboratory may accept assignments for tests only from and only make reports to persons licensed under the provisions of law relating to the healing arts, or their representatives.