Self-Testing, Social Media, and the Doctor Dilemma: How Patients Are Rewriting the Rules on Medical Diagnostics

Scrolling through TikTok and requesting a blood test might not seem connected, but for a growing number of Americans, social media is reshaping what they expect from their doctors.

As patients take a more proactive role in their care, a new national survey reveals they’re also increasingly skipping the doctor altogether, opting for self-prescribed tests, curiosity-driven diagnostics, and lab results they often keep to themselves.

A nationwide survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Siemens Healthineers, shows just how far patient behavior has shifted in the age of online health advice and self-service medicine. Among those who’ve had lab tests in the past two years, a remarkable 93% said they expect their doctor to order a test when they request it. Nearly 40% reported asking for lab work based on personal research — including from friends, family, or the internet — while 17% specifically cited social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit as the source of their request.

When doctors don't order the tests, that trust wavers. While 95% of patients say they trust their provider to order appropriate tests, only 87% say they’d still trust their provider if they advised against a requested test. That 13% gap signals a growing tension between evidence-based care and patient-driven expectations, especially as influencers and AI-powered tools begin offering their own health insights — without the credentials.

“Greater patient engagement is creating new opportunities for learning and dialogue around health data,” said Michele Zwickl, head of laboratory solutions for Diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers North America. “Lab results are most valuable when they’re paired with clinical context, ensuring patients have the guidance they need to understand what the numbers really mean.”

But not everyone is bringing their results back to the doctor’s office. The survey found that 27% of respondents have pursued blood testing out of curiosity, without a physician's recommendation. Among them, 49% chose not to share the results with a healthcare provider. Additionally, 22% of patients reported taking at-home tests — like DNA, fertility, or testosterone panels — on their own. Many cited curiosity as the motivation, not symptoms.

Even more telling: 78% of those surveyed said they generally feel capable of interpreting test results without medical help. One in three believe self-administered tests are just as accurate as those conducted in a lab or doctor’s office.

“It’s important people understand that lab results are one piece of the puzzle,” Zwickl said. “They are meant to be interpreted alongside other clinically relevant information. The data reveals that this quality control step is at risk as people act on their own. Supplements, vitamins, and dietary preferences people may not think about disclosing could affect test results or inform how they are interpreted, so continued transparency is important.”

There’s a cost consideration, too. While some patients are shelling out for self-directed testing, which is often not covered by insurance, others are struggling to afford routine diagnostics. Of the nearly one-third of respondents carrying unpaid medical bills, 52% said that debt includes lab testing fees. And while only 5% would delay bloodwork due to cost, 22% would put off more expensive imaging services like MRIs or CT scans.

At the same time, the value placed on lab testing remains high. Nearly all respondents (98%) said lab results provide meaningful insights into their health, and 94% said they’re more likely to follow a doctor’s advice when it’s backed by a test result.

Yet the industry faces a looming threat. U.S. labs may soon see reimbursement cuts of up to 15% for nearly 800 laboratory tests. This is on top of previous reductions under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA), which have already affected 72% of commonly used tests. The proposed RESULTS Act may offer some relief by stabilizing payments and protecting patient access, but until then, the gap between what patients want and what providers can deliver is only likely to grow.

In this new era of medical autonomy, patients are signaling loud and clear: they want a say in their care.