On-Site Lab — Results in Minutes, Not Days
Our on-site lab handles the tests travelers actually need: stool culture for persistent diarrhea, malaria/dengue/typhoid rapid tests for fever, urinalysis for UTI, blood counts for infection — most results in 15–30 minutes. For specialized tests we can't run, we send samples to a reference lab and get results back within 24 hours.
What We Run On-Site
| Test | What It Diagnoses | Turnaround | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaria rapid test | Malaria (Pf + Pv antigens) | 15 min | $8 |
| Dengue NS1 + IgM/IgG | Dengue fever (early + later markers) | 15 min | $10 |
| Typhoid rapid (IgM) | Typhoid fever | 15 min | $8 |
| Flu/COVID antigen | Influenza A/B, COVID-19 | 15 min | $8 |
| Urinalysis | UTI, kidney issues, dehydration | 15 min | $5 |
| Urine pregnancy test | Pregnancy | 15 min | $5 |
| Stool microscopy + culture | Giardia, amoeba, bacterial pathogens — the test that ends "took cipro, still sick" | 30 min (culture results guide antibiotic choice) | $15 |
| CBC (complete blood count) | Infection, anemia, platelet count (dengue monitoring) | 30 min | $10 |
| CRP | Inflammation marker — distinguishes bacterial vs viral | 30 min | $8 |
| Blood glucose | Diabetes screening, hypoglycemia | 15 min | $5 |
| H. pylori stool antigen | H. pylori (the ulcer-causing bacteria) | 30 min | $12 |
| Widal test | Typhoid (backup marker; less reliable than IgM) | 30 min | $6 |
When We Send Out (24h Results)
- Blood culture — for severe fever/sepsis; 24–48h for organism identification + antibiotic sensitivity
- Full biochemistry panel — liver/kidney function, electrolytes, lipids — for comprehensive workups
- Thyroid function — TSH/T3/T4 for thyroid disorders
- Stool PCR panel — comprehensive pathogen identification when microscopy is inconclusive
- Specialized tests — anything beyond our scope goes to a Kathmandu reference lab; results back next day
The Test That Matters Most for Travelers
Stool microscopy + culture is our highest-value test for trekkers. When someone returns from the trail with "Giardia" that didn't respond to self-prescribed antibiotics, the stool test is what separates Giardia (needs metronidazole) from bacterial (needs the right antibiotic — increasingly NOT ciprofloxacin due to resistance) from amoebic (needs a different drug entirely). Guessing wastes days; the test takes 30 minutes.
The 60-Minute Lab
The bottleneck in travel medicine is diagnosis — symptoms that could be bacterial, viral, or parasitic require different treatments, and guessing wrong wastes days of your trip. Our point-of-care lab solves this: stool microscopy for GI symptoms, blood counts for fever, rapid infectious-disease panels for specific concerns — results while you wait, treatment based on evidence rather than assumption.
What the lab handles
- Stool microscopy — parasites, blood, white cells in GI illness
- CBC and differential — infection vs. inflammation vs. other causes
- Urinalysis — UTI, kidney function, metabolic markers
- Rapid tests — malaria, dengue, typhoid, HIV, strep
- Comprehensive panels — metabolic, hepatic, lipid, thyroid
Why Speed Matters in Travel Medicine
The traveler's timeline is compressed — you do not have weeks for symptoms to declare themselves. A 60-minute stool microscopy that shows bacterial overgrowth means antibiotics that work today, not a week of supportive care hoping it is viral. The same-visit answer is the difference between a minor disruption and a ruined itinerary.
Why In-House Matters
The on-site lab means the diagnosis happens at the visit, not days later — the stool microscopy while you wait, the dengue test that answers the fever question now, the blood count that confirms or rules out the infection. The send-out lab delays the diagnosis and the treatment; the in-house lab accelerates both.
What We Run
The rapid tests: stool microscopy, urinalysis, CBC, CRP, dengue NS1/IgM, typhoid, malaria, and the basic chemistry panels. For the travel illnesses — the diarrhea workup, the fever investigation, the infection screening — the in-house capability covers the common diagnoses. For specialized testing beyond our capability, partner labs in Kathmandu handle it.
The Turnaround Advantage
Our on-site laboratory provides the same-visit results — the stool test that identifies the organism, the blood test that diagnoses or rules out the condition, and the rapid tests that answer the clinical question without the external lab wait. For the traveler on a short Kathmandu visit, the rapid turnaround enables the treatment that the delayed result would defer.
What the Lab Enables
The diagnostic lab answers: is this bacterial or viral (the treatment differs), is there anemia, is there infection, is the fever malaria or dengue or typhoid — the tests that the symptoms alone cannot distinguish. The lab result that confirms the diagnosis directs the treatment that the clinical suspicion alone could not confidently initiate.
The Rapid Turnaround
Our lab processes same-day: CBC, electrolytes, liver function, kidney function, the basic panels — results within 60–90 minutes for the urgent samples, same day for the routine. For the traveler who needs the diagnosis to guide the treatment, the same-day turnaround is the clinical capability that provides the answer.
What Requires Referral
The specialized testing — the imaging (CT, MRI), the biopsy pathology, the complex microbiology — is referred to the Kathmandu facilities that have the capability. Our lab handles the travel-medicine scope; the referral handles what exceeds it.
The Sample Collection
Lab sample collection — the blood draw (the phlebotomy that the experienced staff performs), the urine collection (the clean catch for the UTI), the stool collection (the ova and parasites for the GI complaints), and the swabs (the throat, the wound). For the traveler, the collection that is done properly for the accurate results.
The Result Interpretation
The lab results require the clinical interpretation — the abnormal result that is clinically insignificant vs the abnormal that requires the action. For the traveler who receives the results, the interpretation by the physician who ordered the test.
The Turnaround
Lab test turnaround: the same-day for the basic (the CBC, the glucose, the urinalysis), the 1-3 days for the cultures and the specialized tests, the longer for the send-out tests. For the urgent need, the clinic's lab or the referral for the faster processing.
The Interpretation
Lab result interpretation — the reference ranges that are the context (the altitude's effect on some values), and the clinical correlation (the number in the context of the symptoms). For the patient, the physician's interpretation that matters more than the raw number.
The Turnaround
Lab turnaround: the routine tests (the CBC, the metabolic panel, the urinalysis that are the same-day), the special tests (the culture, the molecular that take the longer). For the lab result, the timing that is expected.
The Interpretation
Lab interpretation at altitude — the hemoglobin that is naturally higher (the altitude's erythropoietin effect), the reference range that is adjusted. For the altitude-adjusted lab, the interpretation that is context-aware.
The Turnaround
Lab turnaround — the same-day for the routine (the CBC, the chemistry, the urine), the 24-48hr for the culture or the specialized. For the lab, the timing that is communicated.
The Interpretation
Lab interpretation — the result that is explained (the normal vs the abnormal, the significance that is discussed). For the result, the follow-up that is provided.
The Test Cost
Lab test cost — the CBC ~$3-8, the panel ~$10-25, the specialized that varies. For the testing, the affordable that is typical.
The Turnaround
Lab turnaround — the same-day (the routine that is fast) or the sent- out (the specialized that takes longer). For the result, the timeline that is advised.
The Package Pricing
Lab package — the bundled panel (the combined that reduces the per-test). For the multi-marker need, the package that is quoted.
The Insurance Documentation
Lab insurance — the itemized + the ICD-10 (the claim-ready that is included). For the reimbursement, the documented that is provided.
The NPR Billing
Lab billing — the NPR receipt (the per-test that is itemized). For the claim, the separated that is the documentation.
The Prepayment
Lab payment — the paid-at-draw (the ~$12-40 that settles the order). For the walk-in, the simple that is the process.
How fast are lab results at your clinic?
Most tests return in 60 minutes — stool microscopy, blood counts, urine analysis, and rapid infectious-disease panels. Cultures and specialized tests take longer (24–72 hours) but we will tell you the timeline upfront. The goal is same-visit diagnosis for most traveler presentations.
What tests can I get without a doctor visit?
Common panels are available directly: CBC, metabolic panels, lipid profiles, thyroid function, and infectious disease screening (HIV, hepatitis, STI panels). Some tests require consultation for interpretation — we will guide you on what makes sense to order standalone.
How much do lab tests cost?
Substantially less than Western private labs — most panels run $10–40 depending on complexity. STI panels, travel-health screening, and comprehensive metabolic panels are priced accessibly. We provide itemized receipts for insurance documentation.
Can I get travel-specific testing?
Yes — the panels we run most often: complete blood count + malaria smear for fever workup, stool ova & parasites for GI symptoms, STI panels for sexual health visits, and comprehensive metabolic panels for medication monitoring or wellness checks. Tell us the clinical question; we order the right tests.
Do you offer confidential STI testing?
Yes — anonymous STI screening is available with results delivered securely. HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B/C, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and other STI panels. Confidentiality is absolute — your results are your business.
