Biologic Blood Testing (Full Panel)

Every patient admitted to medical detox at RECO Island in Boynton Beach receives a comprehensive admission panel within hours of intake. The standard draw includes a CBC with differential, a complete metabolic panel (CMP) covering liver enzymes (AST, ALT, GGT, alkaline phosphatase) and kidney markers (BUN, creatinine, eGFR), a magnesium and phosphorus level, a lipid panel, TSH, hemoglobin A1c, urinalysis, and a urine drug screen confirming the substances on board. We also run a hepatitis B and C panel and HIV screening as standard practice for residential addiction treatment intake.

Alcohol use disorder leaves clear fingerprints on bloodwork, and we screen for them aggressively. GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase) elevates in roughly 70 to 80 percent of heavy drinkers and is one of the most sensitive markers of recent alcohol exposure. AST will typically run higher than ALT in an alcohol-related liver injury (the AST:ALT ratio above 2 is a classic alcoholic-hepatitis pattern). MCV (mean corpuscular volume) often runs elevated due to alcohol-driven B-vitamin malabsorption. Electrolytes — particularly potassium, magnesium, and phosphate — are checked daily during the active detox phase because deficiencies can drive arrhythmias and seizures.

Opioid use disorder patients arriving for detox at RECO Island get a full hepatitis panel (B surface antigen, B core antibody, C antibody with reflex to RNA), HIV antibody/antigen, and a baseline LFT given the rate of injection-related viral exposure. We also check vitamin D, B12, folate, and iron studies because opioid-related GI dysfunction and poor appetite drive deficiencies that prolong post-acute withdrawal. A pregnancy test is standard for any patient of childbearing potential, and a QTc-relevant electrolyte panel (potassium, magnesium, calcium) is run before any methadone or comfort-medication protocol that could affect cardiac conduction.

Active substance use is a near-universal cause of micronutrient depletion. Thiamine (vitamin B1) is the single most critical lab in alcohol detox — untreated thiamine deficiency drives Wernicke encephalopathy, which is preventable with parenteral repletion on the day of admission. We also routinely check B12, folate, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, and ferritin. Deficiencies in any of these prolong fatigue, brain fog, low mood, and irritability through early recovery. The bloodwork tells our medical team exactly what to repair first, so the IV therapy and oral supplement plan is data-driven rather than a guess.

Repeated. Detox is a moving target — liver enzymes, electrolytes, and nutritional markers shift fast as the body clears substances and begins to repair. At RECO Island we typically repeat key labs at 48 to 72 hours, again at the end of the medical detox phase, and once more before transition to residential. Patients with alcoholic hepatitis, severe electrolyte derangement, or anemia are drawn more frequently. Watching the trend — not just the admission snapshot — is what lets the medical team taper detox medications safely and confirm that organ function is rebounding before stepping a patient down.

Yes. Bloodwork ordered as part of medically supervised detox is covered by all major commercial insurance plans (Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, United Healthcare, Optum, Magellan, Humana) and by most managed Medicaid plans, billed under standard pathology CPT codes alongside the detox per-diem. Our admissions team verifies benefits before you arrive in Boynton Beach so you know your responsibility upfront. Hepatitis confirmatory testing, HIV viral load, and any specialty markers ordered off the standard panel are billed individually but almost always covered when tied to a substance-use-disorder diagnosis.