Life is busy—shift work, travel, remote schedules—so getting to an onsite screening isn’t always realistic. The good news: biometric screenings don’t have to be one-size-fits-all. Offsite options let more people participate on their own time and stay engaged in their health.
Below is a quick overview of three common offsite methods, how they work and how to determine if it’s the right choice for your people.
Option 1: Offsite Lab / Patient Service Center (PSC)
What it is
When members choose to get care through a patient service center, they’ll have the option to browse nearby labs and choose the most convenient option. When they get screened, they’ll work with an expert to test their blood pressure, height, weight, BMI, and waist circumference, as well as have their blood drawn. A few days after the blood has been processed, results are sent directly from the lab and are made available in participant portals for easy access.
Why participants like it
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- Appointments are quick—easy to fit into a lunch break or before/after a shift.
- Thousands of PSC locations nationwide, making it easy to find one nearby.
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Why employers like it
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- Scales nationally without onsite scheduling.
- Consistent, standardized collection protocols across sites.
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Option 2: Direct to Primary Care Provider (PCP)
What it is
Think of the PCP route as a “two-birds, one-visit” option. Instead of carving out a separate trip for a biometric screening, participants fold it into an appointment they’re already planning—an annual physical, a medication check-in, or a follow-up on lab work. During that visit, the clinician orders the required labs (like lipid panel and glucose) and captures any physical measurements the program calls for—blood pressure, height, weight, waist circumference, and BMI. It’s familiar, it’s personal, and it keeps the conversation about numbers anchored to someone’s actual health history and goals.
After the appointment, results flow the way the program specifies: some doctor’s offices will send them directly to the designated wellness platform or administrator; in other cases, participants receive a copy via their patient portal and upload it securely themselves. Either way, the handoff is straightforward—and it often means less “mystery” around what the results mean, because the provider has already talked through them in real time.
Why participants like it
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- Results are reviewed by a clinician who already knows their history, medications, and goals.
- Turning “numbers on a page” into a personalized action plan during the same visit.
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Why employers like it
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- Strong continuity of care—follow-up testing, medication changes, or referrals align with the existing care plan.
- Especially helpful for people managing chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension), supporting adherence and earlier course-correction.
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Option 3: Home Test Kit (HTK)
What it is
If getting to a lab or onsite event feels impossible, the at-home route can be a game-changer. With a home test kit, everything you need arrives at your door. With a finger stick, you collect a small blood sample, jot down a few physical measurements like blood pressure, height, weight, and waist circumference (if your program requires them) and send it back in a prepaid mailer. No commute, no waiting room—just a quick task you can do between meetings or after the kids go to bed.
What’s typically in the kit
Step-by-step instructions (+ short video link), lancets, gauze, alcohol swab, bandage, blood collection card/tube, requisition form, and a prepaid return mailer.
Why participants like it
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- Zero travel—ideal for remote teams, night shifts, and field staff.
- Complete it when convenient (early morning, after a shift, weekends).
- Extra privacy and comfort of home.
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Why employers like it
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- Reaches dispersed or hard-to-schedule populations.
- Reduces onsite logistics while keeping participation opportunities broad.
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Quick Decision Guide: Which Option Fits Whom?
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- Offsite lab/PSC: great for people near lab locations who want fast, in-and-out appointments.
- PCP: best for those with active care plans who appreciate integrated follow-up and personalized guidance.
- HTK: perfect for remote/field employees, variable shifts, or those who prefer at-home privacy and flexibility.
Why Offsite Options Matter
Making screenings easy to complete—wherever people are—boosts participation. Higher completion rates give organizations a clearer picture of population health risks (e.g., cardiometabolic trends) and help target interventions that work. For individuals, timely results create awareness and momentum to address issues proactively—often preventing small concerns from becoming bigger problems.
The Bottom Line
Offsite screening options are a game-changer for distributed workforces and anyone who can’t attend onsite. Whether it’s PSC, PCP, or HTK, offering multiple paths helps everyone participate—leading to better individual outcomes and more actionable insights for organizations. If you’re an employer looking for a partner that supports all three methods, integrated results, and robust reporting (dashboards, aggregate, and cohort views), eHealthScreenings can help—reach out to explore what’s possible.