Private company LifeLabs has announced it plans to open a new “patient service centre” in a mall on Highway 6 this summer.
The company says its new Vernon, B.C., location will offer both pre-booked and drop-in appointments for blood collection and other services.
It’s good news for patients who need their blood samples taken as in recent years, since Interior Health closed one of its two medical labs in Vernon in 2021, there have been complaints about long waits for service.
However, a city councillor is concerned this new lab won’t be enough to fix the capacity problem.
Teresa Durning doesn’t believe the new LifeLabs site will be enough to significantly cut wait times in the city.
“I really think the one more lab service is a drop in the bucket,” Durning said.
On May 11, the first available appointment at Interior Health’s remaining Vernon outpatient lab, at the city’s hospital, was in early July.
In contrast, same-day appointments were available at the Kelowna hospital and the Penticton hospital had availability the following week.
While drop-in lab services are available at Vernon Jubilee Hospital and the city’s two private labs, in the past, some patients have complained of long waits for service.
Durning thinks the health authority should be more proactive about ensuring residents’ lab needs are met.
“If we are contracting, let’s bolster that program. If we are not contracting, let’s bolster the in-house program for Interior Health labs services so we don’t have this problem going on. We are delaying treatment … there has to be a solution,” said Durning.
Overall, the health authority is defending its approach, saying it did increase seats at the Vernon Jubilee Hospital lab when Vernon’s other Interior Health lab closed due to staffing shortages.
Interior Health’s program director for lab services, Joanne Isber, said the health authority anticipates looking at expanding hours at the hospital lab “as we need to in order to ensure patient access.”
Asked what she would say to those who feel the hospital lab booking into July is a sign the city doesn’t have enough lab capacity, Isber said that is “a pinch point with our program and we are working on rectifying that, for sure.”
In the meantime, the health authority said it will be monitoring the impact of the new LifeLabs location which is expected to bring added capacity to collect lab samples to the region.
Comments