How many of you have been up to the hospital lately and had to wait a long period of time to get blood work done?
I need to go once a month and sometimes more often. It has always been a wait but this week I waited close to 2 hrs.
Now I know that the nurses are over worked and stretched to the limit but with that in mind I still think that it is a rediculess time to have to wait.
Every visit I have had has been the same, no matter what time of the week or day, the waiting game, for 5 minutes worth of blood work…always over an hr.
It does get frustrating…
I wonder who we can contact to help get this problem solved.
The average time that I have waited, was about 15-20 minutes. I find that when I take my relative for blood work, late afternoon’s have worked the best for us. This can all go to hell in a hand basket if the ER gets emergencies, as those patience take precedence. If the ER is plugged, you can guarantee a longer wait time in the blood work department. We wont go on a Monday or a Friday, its too nuts, but usually any other day in the late afternoon (around 3:30) has worked for us with a short wait.
If you want better service, write your MLA and say that you want to pay more taxes, or alternatively, that you are willing to do with less of another tax funded service.
Usually, I simply bring a book to read. Alternatively, when I get my “ticket” , I ask the person at the counter what the expected wait time is and then I go for a walk.
They actually don’t book the early AM appointments any more but they do start at 7:30.
I like the previous comments about emergencies taking precedence, take a book, and call your MLA.
I have waited as long at the private lab in Terrace as I have at the hospital in Rupert. It’s a bummer if it’s fasting blood work and we have to wait. I just tell myself I’m fortunate to have medical coverage and thank my lucky stars I’m healthy enough to be there waiting and have the free education to read my book.
The people working there have never been anything but kind and they are busy.
In Alberta I book my appointment online for the time and date I choose. I am never in for more than 15 min. This is for blood work as well. This is at a lab that mostly does blood work and that sort of thing. The hospital here is very fast as well never been more than 20 min. The one time it was more was my own fault I went at lunch time.
Isn’t this a private/public partnership opportunity for some adventurous business type? The risk and fiscal investment is minimal. The reward depends totally on your skills as a business manager/ client motivator. Here’s the plan:
Appear at the hospital much earlier in the morning and take a number of tickets from the current ticket dispenser. (10 or 20 or so).
As clients arrive make them aware that you are willing to part with your ticket for a much earlier place in line for a minimal fee.
As the line grows longer the cost of your commodity (priority tickets) increases.
Look for high demand clients: i.e. those who require blood work and to give a fasting urine samples – their anxiety will probably motivate them to buy.
Reach out to other businesses and allow them so purchase early morning bookings for their employees so they won’t take time from work (for an added fee – of course).
If anybody is unclear – all of the above is sarcasm.
Although I am sure there are much better systems and much better solutions to the current wait times at the hospital I am also very happy that I can get the blood work that I need done in a timely fashion. The staff has always been friendly, courteous, helpful and totally professional.
As for paying for the system – the individual shouldn’t be the only one. Corporations who expect their workers to be healthy and fit should also pay a goodly portion of the cost – they as well as the individual taxpayer benefit.
I have to go to the hospital once a week for blood tests. I have had to wait for two hours just once and this was because they were short staffed. They suggested I come in the middle of the week and later in the day. It has worked well for me. These ladies also have to go to the patients for blood tests. They are very good at what they do and work as fast as they can. They explained that they are so busy in the morning is because people who are fasting like to get in early so they can go home and eat.