(file photo/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Lab tests

Three-week wait times for booked blood tests

Apr 11, 2022 | 3:00 PM

The Saskatchewan Health Authority says that staff shortages are causing lengthy wait times for blood tests appointments.

A concerned community member contacted paNOW last week, saying they had driven to Nipawin to get blood tests and had been told of multiple people driving to Melfort for the same reason: the wait time in Prince Albert was just too long.

The SHA said the average wait time used to be between six and nine days but as of April 8, that had increased to three weeks.

Doug Dahl, a spokesperson with the SHA, said the waits are caused by a lack of staff.

“The appointment process was put in place early on in the pandemic in order to manage the safety/cleaning/physical distancing protocols put in place, not as a result of staffing shortages,” he said. “However, current staffing challenges have contributed to the increase in wait times for appointments.”

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In July 2020, the SHA changed the system from drop-in to booked appointments in order to accommodate the need for physical distance and to avoid large groups of people gathering in lab areas.

It also allowed staff to sanitize between patients.

Right now, walk-in patients can go to the Victoria Hospital for blood work but should be aware that they may have a wait. They can also choose to have an appointment instead.

There is no current plan to go back to the previous system.

“We are regularly reviewing how we are providing services; however, at this time a return to walk-in is not planned,” Dahl said.

“We are working on solutions to help improve services to patients and reduce wait times while maintaining safe infection control practices within the lab service centre.”

Emergency patient needs are treated in a different manner.

Along with recruiting more staff, Dahl said the SHA is looking at what changes can be made to improve access for patients.

—

Susan.McNeil@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow