Accurate lab results are one of the most important parts of getting the right diagnosis and treatment, yet most urgent care clinics still send specimens to outside labs and leave patients waiting. MEDHERO operates a fully CLIA-accredited complex on-site laboratory so results are often acquired within the same visit. Dr. Greg Moreno, MD and Dr. Keith Yablonicky, MD built this practice on the belief that fast, reliable diagnostics should be a standard part of urgent care, not a feature reserved for hospital settings.
In House and Outpatient Labs
Understanding In House and Outpatient Labs
In-house labs refer to diagnostic laboratory testing that takes place inside the same facility where you receive medical care. Rather than sending specimens to an external lab and waiting days for results, an on-site lab processes your blood work, urinalysis, rapid tests, and other samples right away. This model allows providers to review findings quickly and make informed treatment decisions without delay.
Outpatient lab services are tests ordered for patients who are not admitted to a hospital. You visit a lab or medical facility, provide a specimen, and receive results that are shared with you or a referring provider. Outpatient labs are commonly used for routine screenings, follow-up monitoring, pre-surgical testing, and chronic disease management, making them a practical option for anyone who needs professional diagnostics outside of an inpatient setting.
Benefits of In House and Outpatient Labs
Quick Results Keep Your Care on Track
Labs processed on-site allow our providers to review and act on results as soon as they’re available. This means fewer callbacks, fewer delays, and a faster path to the treatment you need. You leave your appointment with real answers rather than being told to wait and see.
CLIA-Accredited Testing You Can Trust
Not all labs meet the same standards. Our on-site laboratory holds CLIA complex accreditation, which means it meets rigorous federal quality and accuracy requirements. You can feel confident that every test processed here is held to the same standards used in hospital-based laboratories.
One-Stop Care for Diagnosis and Treatment
Because our lab is integrated directly into the urgent care facility, our providers can order tests, review results, and prescribe treatment all in one visit. You do not need to coordinate between separate offices or wait for records to transfer. Everything is handled in one place, saving you time and reducing the chance of miscommunication.
Convenient Access for Outpatient Testing Needs
Patients with a lab order from another provider or those who need routine bloodwork between primary care appointments have a flexible, walk-in-friendly option here. Both our San Clemente and La Costa locations are open daily from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, making it easy to fit testing into your schedule without taking time off work.
Accurate Diagnostics That Inform Smarter Treatment
Lab results are only as useful as they are accurate. Our team uses current medical technology and follows strict processing protocols to ensure reliable data every time. Treatment decisions are grounded in solid, precise information so you can move forward with confidence.
Broad Test Menu That Covers a Wide Range of Needs
Our on-site lab handles a wide variety of tests, from rapid tests for flu, covid and strep, to urinalysis, blood panels, and STI testing. This means most diagnostic needs can be addressed during a single visit rather than requiring a referral to a separate facility. Having that range available in-house makes care more complete and far more convenient for you. From their time treating heart issues in the ER, Dr. Moreno and Dr. Yablonicky believe that evaluating chest pain often requires a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin blood test and have worked hard to achieve the lab accreditation required to run this test. You can now get this high sensitivity cardiac troponin “heart attack test” in our advanced urgent care centers with results provided in minutes.
Our Process for In House and Outpatient Laboratory
What Brings You In: Evaluating Your Lab Testing Needs
At arrival, our provider reviews your symptoms, medical history, and the reason for your visit to determine which lab tests are appropriate for your situation. Dr. Greg Moreno, MD designed this intake process to be thorough without being overwhelming, so nothing important gets missed. You will understand why each test is being ordered and what information it is meant to uncover.
The Right In House Lab Tests for Your Condition
Not every patient needs the same panel of tests, and our provider will select only what is relevant to your specific case. This targeted approach avoids unnecessary testing and keeps your visit focused and efficient. The goal is to gather the most useful diagnostic picture with the least amount of inconvenience to you.
Fast, On-Site Sample Collection With CLIA-Accredited Lab Processing
Once specimens are collected, our trained staff processes them using quality-controlled equipment in our CLIA-accredited complex laboratory. Rapid tests may return results within 10 minutes, while more comprehensive panels are still completed in under an hour, far sooner than sending samples to an outside facility. Our provider reviews results as soon as they are ready.
Reading Your Outpatient Lab Results With Our Provider
After results are reviewed, our provider will walk you through what the findings mean and what steps come next, be it a prescription, a follow-up test, a referral, or reassurance that everything looks normal. Dr. Keith Yablonicky, MD emphasizes that understanding your results is just as important as getting them. You will leave with a clear picture of your health status and any recommended next steps.
Your Next Move: Follow-Up Care After Diagnostic Testing
Results that require additional testing, a treatment change, or ongoing monitoring are handled with coordinated follow-up care from our team. Established patients can access records and communicate with providers through the patient portal at medhero.prognocis.com. You are never left to navigate what comes next on your own.
Why Choose Us for In House and Outpatient Labs
Lab accuracy depends on more than equipment. It depends on who is ordering the tests, how specimens are handled, and whether the facility processing them meets federal quality standards. Our CLIA-accredited laboratory clears that bar, operating under the same certification requirements applied to hospital-based labs. Every test processed here goes through a quality-controlled workflow designed to produce reliable results.
MEDHERO pairs lab services with on-site digital X-rays, EKGs, and an on-premises pharmacy, giving you access to a genuinely comprehensive diagnostic and treatment environment. If your results call for medication, imaging, or further evaluation, our team handles it all in the same visit. That level of integration is rare outside of a hospital setting, and it is something our patients rely on every day across both our San Clemente and La Costa locations.
Skip the Wait with Our In House and Outpatient Labs
Accurate lab results should not require a hospital visit or a multi-day wait. Rapid in-house testing and convenient outpatient options are both available here, with Dr. Greg Moreno, MD, Dr. Keith Yablonicky, MD, and our team ready to give you answers promptly. You can walk in any day or call us at San Clemente 949.207.3603 or La Costa/Carlsbad 760.652.6070. Not sure how to get here? Pull up directions to our door on Google Maps and see why patients keep coming back by reading real reviews on Yelp. Follow MEDHERO on Facebook and Instagram for service updates and a closer look at our dedicated team behind your diagnostic care.
FAQs
Can urgent care perform x-rays?
Yes. Our in-house digital imaging removes the gap between diagnosis and care, so a confirmed fracture, joint injury, or other concern is addressed without delay. There is no referral to an outside imaging center and no waiting days for a radiologist’s report. This is especially useful when symptoms suggest more than one issue, allowing our team to evaluate both lab results and imaging together during the same visit.
Does urgent care do blood work?
Urgent care can absolutely perform blood work, and our CLIA-accredited laboratory makes the process faster and more convenient than a traditional clinic. Specimens are analyzed on-site, and results for some tests are typically ready the same day, allowing for same-visit diagnosis and treatment when possible. Our providers order only what is clinically relevant so your visit stays focused and efficient.
What is a diagnostic test?
A diagnostic test is any medical test used to identify or rule out a health condition based on your symptoms, medical history, or a provider’s clinical assessment. Common examples include blood panels, urinalysis, rapid strep or flu tests, X-rays, and EKGs. These tests give our providers objective data to make accurate clinical decisions rather than relying solely on symptoms.
How long do x-ray results take?
Digital X-rays typically produce results within the same appointment since images are captured and reviewed digitally with no film development or external radiology delay. Our provider will walk you through the findings and discuss next steps before you leave.
How long do lab results take?
Turnaround time depends on the type of test ordered. Rapid tests such as flu, strep, and COVID-19 antigen tests can return results in as little as 10 minutes. More comprehensive panels like those for anemia, kidney function and heart issues like heart attack are available in as little as 15 minutes, far sooner than those referred to an outside laboratory.
