Labi Exames: providing affordable laboratory tests to the uninsured Brazilian population

Managed Care Weekly Digest

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- Marcelo Noll Barboza and doctor Octavio Fernandes, formerly from Dasa, launched Labi Exames, a medical laboratory testing network whose mission is to facilitate healthcare access through diagnostic tests. The network offers a unique and unprecedented way of providing services, from collecting the material to delivering the results, allowing millions of Brazilians who do not have health insurance to have their laboratory tests done. "Our goal is to serve about three million patients per year in 2022", said Barboza (see also Labi Exames).

Labi Exames have physical units - the first one inaugurated this month in Santo Amaro neighborhood, in Sao Paulo - and a network of nursing technicians, trained to collect the samples in residences, companies or associations. "Patients are able to have their laboratory tests done in the traditional way, taking the medical requisition, or choose one of the 20 packages offered, such as Women's Health, Men's Health, Pregnancy and Diabetes Control", added Barboza. The reports have a simple language and a clear orientation so that the patient takes the results to a doctor.

According to doctor Octavio Fernandes, who is a clinical pathologist and Labi Exames' vice-president of operations, there is a common complaint among health insurance companies that there are too many requests for diagnostic tests. "In our long experience in this market, we realize that there are sometimes exaggerations. However, we have to remember that only 25% of Brazilians have health insurance, which means that another 75% are served the Brazilian public health system or are resorting to out of pocket clinics."

Dr. Octavio also believes that the lack of easy access to laboratory testing is generating healthcare inefficiency. Today patients without health insurance who see a doctor and get a test requisition have to choose between long waiting times in the public system or paying high out of pocket prices in private labs. "Labi Exames is an alternative way for patients to have their tests done immediately at reasonable prices", commented Dr. Octavio.

Keywords for this news article include: Labi Exames, Health Insurance.