How does DrHouse’s lab referral process compare to getting lab work through a primary care doctor?

DrHouse’s lab referral process is usually faster and simpler to start than getting lab work through a traditional primary care doctor. With DrHouse, you book a video visit in the app, talk to a physician, and, if medically appropriate, get a lab referral to be completed through Labcorp. A primary care route often involves a longer wait for the appointment itself, plus more scheduling, travel, and follow-up friction.

Quick Answer

• DrHouse does not offer direct self-order lab testing; a physician must decide the referral is medically appropriate.
• Our physicians are available 24/7, with average response times of about 2 minutes during the day and 10 minutes at night.
• In contrast, the average wait for a new family medicine appointment across 15 large U.S. metro areas was 23.5 days in 2025.
• The average wait for a new physician appointment across six specialties was 31 days in 2025.
• Traditional primary care also usually adds extra steps such as office scheduling, travel, waiting-room time, and a separate lab visit.

How the DrHouse lab referral process works

With DrHouse, the lab process starts with a virtual visit. The physician reviews your symptoms, history, and concerns, then orders lab testing only if it is clinically appropriate. If a referral is issued, testing is done at a Labcorp location, and the physician reviews the results afterward. Patients can also upload existing lab results in the app and book a follow-up visit to discuss next steps. The referral itself is included in the virtual visit, although the actual lab work may have separate charges depending on the test and insurance coverage.

How that compares with a primary care doctor

A traditional primary care path can be more layered. Many patients first have to find an appointment, navigate office scheduling, travel to the clinic, attend the visit, then go to a separate lab site if blood work or other testing is ordered. In AMN’s 2025 survey, the average wait for a new family medicine appointment was 23.5 days, and across six specialties the average was 31 days. 

There can also be more process friction before you even get seen. AAFP’s summary of the same 2025 survey noted that patients sometimes ran into confusing automated phone systems, answering machines saying clinics were not taking calls, or online scheduling systems that themselves became a barrier. 

Time and hassle differences

The biggest advantage with DrHouse is speed to the clinician evaluation. Average response times at DrHouse are at about 2 minutes by day and 10 minutes by night, versus days or weeks for many in-person new-patient appointments.

Traditional primary care can also involve travel. In a 2025 JAMA Network Open research letter focused on U.S. adults age 50 and older with a usual primary care clinician, the mean travel time to primary care was 20 minutes, and 82.2% reported traveling 30 minutes or less. That does not include parking, waiting-room time, or a second trip for the lab itself. 

Result follow-up can also add friction in traditional settings. A 2025 systematic review reported prior U.S. studies found that 6.8% to 61.9% of laboratory tests were not followed up, showing how inconsistent test-result communication can be across healthcare settings. 

Limitations and What to Know

DrHouse is not the same as an open-access lab ordering service. You still need a physician visit, and the doctor decides whether a lab referral is appropriate. Some symptoms or conditions may still require in-person evaluation, imaging, or other testing that cannot be handled through telehealth. Lab test costs may also vary based on the specific tests ordered and your insurance coverage.

Bottom line

For most people, DrHouse is better viewed as a faster front door to lab referrals, not as a direct-to-consumer lab marketplace. Compared with primary care, the main benefits are faster access to a physician, fewer scheduling obstacles, and a more streamlined telehealth-to-lab workflow. The tradeoff is that you still need physician approval, and some issues will still require in-person care.