How to minimise your waiting times

(Inside Aotea, June 2010)

No one likes to waste time by waiting — least of all for a blood test! Julie Page, our collection services manager, explains how to minimise waiting time at the collection rooms.

Avoid peak times

First thing in the morning is the busiest time. In some of the larger rooms queues start forming before the doors are open! If your test is not a fasting test, come along after 10am — our peak time will be over.

From the responses patients gave in our survey last October, waiting times typically range from 0—10 minutes, rarely going over 30 minutes in even the busiest times.

Check the details

Some special tests, such as skin allergy and glucose tolerance tests, require an appointment. If you haven’t made one, you may be asked to return another day.

Times have changed

If you require an International Normalised Ratio (INR) test for warfarin monitoring, there’s no need to rush any more to have it done first thing in the morning. Technological advances mean most test results are now turned around the same day, if you get it done by lunchtime.

Did you know…

You can have your test done at any of our 15 collection rooms? Often the form you receive from your doctor will detail only a few rooms, but you can go to any room you choose — perhaps one closer to work or your child’s school. If your test incurs a fee, check the website to see which rooms can accept payments.