Blood testing in the Central Ok

[occasional thoughts]

I wonder if anyone shares my frustration about our blood testing service provider in the Central Okanagan, Valley Medical Laboratories. The enterprise is a monopoly, so far as I know, other than for blood work that is performed at Kelowna General Hospital. This company must be rolling in profits; it is consistently understaffed for the volume of demand (and that is my main point), and it is not uncommon to have to wait for an hour or more to be called in to finally get the needle. It is especially frustrating for the poor people who have been fasting and who line up starting at 7:30 a.m. for the facility's banking hours opening (8 a.m.) and casual working their way through the long line up so people can have breakfast or coffee.

[vegas1500]

I know in Ab we can go online and book an appt....can you not do the same here? I've even went online the same day, booked an appt and walked in to the lab and got served before the crowd that was in the waiting room.

[occasional thoughts]

X-rays are now by mandatory appointment, but blood work!!! Hah. But let me say more humbly, not that I've ever heard or been told.

[kgcayenne]

Just out of curiosity, to which of the labs do you normally go? How many of the labs have you tried?

Over the years, we've gone to 3 of them, Tutt St, Lawrence Ave, and the one on Springfield at Gordon. We've found the Lawrence lab has the worst wait, and Springfield the quickest.

[occasional thoughts]

I myself have always visited Westbank with the single exception of a visit I did to downtown CofK many years ago where the wait was also atrocious.

[Even Steven]

Never had to wait more than 30 minutes.

[the truth]

over the years I have gone to all of them,they are always super busy in the morning , but between 2-4 pm I am in and out in 10 min most times

[GordonH]

over the years I have gone to all of them,they are always super busy in the morning , but between 2-4 pm I am in and out in 10 min most times

I do the same thing, of course if your blood work requires fasting that could be very difficult.

[Bsuds]

I go to the one on Lawrence because it has the best parking. KLO is terrible for that and even though it's closer I won't go there.
I don't have to fast very often so that's not a big issue and when I do I make sure I'm there before they open to be one of the first in line. Other than that after lunch is usually better or near closing.

[acrent7]

Valley Lab Location Update:

Blood lab at Gordon and Lawrence is now closed and has relocated to North Glenmore on Kane Road in the same plaza where the IGA, McDonalds, etc is. It also is now open at 7:30 am.

Blood lab at Gordon and Springfield is now closed and has relocated to the Capri Mall - apparently next to the passport office.

[kgcayenne]

Wow! Thanks for the update!

[occasional thoughts]

Maybe Westbank is in a class all by itself? Out of sight out of mind, way over here in the west! I did get in once a couple of visits ago without any wait; near the end of the day. I was shocked, amazed and impressed. But my last visit I arrived late in the lunch hour, there were more than a dozen people ahead of me, there was only one tech working, and I had to wait more than an hour. That, I find, is typical (of Westbank).

[Woodenhead]

I made an appointment for blood work last year, no biggie. (Rutland)

[occasional thoughts]

From the Valley Medical Laboratories just now, after viewing the previous post:

"Do I need to make an appointment?

"A: All of our locations provide services to patient on a walk in basis. There are few tests that actually require an appointment and your physician will usually let you know if that is the case."

Either you had one of the particular tests that requires an appointment, or there is another "competitor" lab in Rutland that I know nothing about that allows appointments.

[Retrosnap]

I wonder if anyone shares my frustration about our blood testing service provider in the Central Okanagan, Valley Medical Laboratories. The enterprise is a monopoly, so far as I know, other than for blood work that is performed at Kelowna General Hospital. This company must be rolling in profits; it is consistently understaffed for the volume of demand (and that is my main point), and it is not uncommon to have to wait for an hour or more to be called in to finally get the needle. It is especially frustrating for the poor people who have been fasting and who line up starting at 7:30 a.m. for the facility's banking hours opening (8 a.m.) and casual working their way through the long line up so people can have breakfast or coffee.

If 12 hour fasting is a problem, try eating a late dinner (9pm) and get your blood tested after 9:00am. The early morning rush should be starting to ease by then