A lab test may be ordered for a variety of reasons including:

• In response to a concern you shared with your doctor
• As part of a regular check up routine
• To check on a condition that has already been diagnosed
• See how you're responding to prescribed medication

Our staff cannot answer specific questions about why a test has been ordered or what your doctor/healthcare provider may be looking for. Your doctor is the best person to speak with to answer any questions you may have.

The timing of results depends on several factors including the type of test being performed. As soon as most results are available they are posted online for you and your doctor to see. You are encouraged to contact your doctor to find out if your results are available and discuss what the result means to you.

Yes, our in-home blood collection and specimen pick-up service is available to patients in select provinces who meet certain criteria at the request of a physician. In select areas, we are also pleased to offer home lab services for a nominal fee through our new program MyVisit.

Individual diagnostic lab tests are often covered for members of provincial health insurance (e.g. B.C. Medical Services Plan, OHIP or Saskatchewan Health Services Card). Some select tests that are recommended by your healthcare provider may not be covered by provincial health insurance. Your doctor will usually advise you in advance of ordering the test if there is a fee. You will also be advised if there is a fee upon your arrival at a Patient Service Centre and the payment options. If you require a test not covered by the provincial health insurance, you should contact your private health insurance about potential coverage.

No. Safety is our top priority and we follow strict safety guidelines and take every precaution to protect you including:

• Needles are individually packaged and sterile
• The needle cap is only removed immediately before use
• Staff follow strict hand hygiene protocols
• The area of your skin where the needle is inserted is cleaned
• Needles are only used once and then immediately disposed of
• All tubes and containers are only used once and then discarded

We know you are busy and we want to help you get back to your day. That’s why appointments may be booked to help reduce your wait time. If you are unable to book an appointment, we will do our best to minimize your wait, but the length of your visit will depend on the number of patients in the Patient Service Centre. Typically, wait times are a little longer in the morning as patients tend to fast for tests over night.

To help ensure you are prepared for visit, you are encouraged to read our Patient Test Instructions and Prepare for Your Visit.

Depending on the test ordered, fasting or special preparation may be required. Please read the Patient Test Instructions and Prepare for Your Visit for details or contact us.

​Lab tests are usually performed on small samples of blood or urine. One of our staff will take a blood sample from your arm or ask you to collect a sample of your urine. Fasting is sometimes required so you may be asked not to eat or drink anything for several hours before your lab test.  Read our Patient Test Instructions and Prepare for Your Visit for more information.

If you require an ECG or to wear a Holter monitor, you may read more about this under heart monitoring.

​Yes, please. Blood collection procedures are quick, easy and safe but we understand that not everyone is comfortable with needles. We’ll do everything we can to make you relaxed and put you at ease.

Please visit Prepare for Your Visit for more information.

Please tell us about any problems or concerns you have experienced in the past. Our employees are highly skilled, but you know more about your own body and history. We will do our best to work with you and make sure that things go smoothly.  ​

​Depending on the tests your doctor has ordered, we generally only need a small sample of blood that amounts to no more than a teaspoon or two. Because of this small amount, you should not feel any ill effects.

During your procedure, LifeLabs’ professionally trained team will explain the procedure and do their best to make you comfortable. Despite best efforts, sometimes bruising occurs after a blood collection. If a blood sample is taken, follow these steps to minimize bruising:

• Apply pressure to the puncture site for at least two minutes.
• Don’t lift anything heavy with that arm for at least 30 minutes after leaving the Patient Service Centre.

​Yes. Protecting the privacy and security of your personal information is essential and is fundamental to our values and the way we do business. We have privacy policies and practices in place that meet the requirements of all applicable privacy laws, rules and regulations. Privacy legislation requires us to have such policies, practices and programs in place that demonstrate the strong, commonly accepted privacy standard that the public expects. For further information, please refer to our Privacy section.

All staff members sign a confidentiality agreement and complete mandatory privacy awareness training at time of hire, and annually thereafter.

Our security practices are designed to protect your personal information and prevent unauthorized access. Only authorized employees are permitted to access personal information and only when the access is necessary. Your information is protected using industry best practices, and all information is transmitted over secure, encrypted channels.

Generally, this confidential medical information is only available to the patient. Spouses/partners cannot receive results on behalf of their spouse/partner, and parents cannot receive results on behalf of their adult children. If the request is for a minor for whom you are the parent/guardian and an individual for whom you have a power of attorney, please complete this Access Request Form.

We see over 79,000 patients each day and have a sophisticated system in place to ensure each and every sample is properly tracked, tested and reported. Through bar code scanning, similar to the kind you see in grocery stores, each time you visit a LifeLabs your requisition receives a unique code that forms a bar coded label which is placed on your specimen containers. This matches your profile, requisition and sample. 

The easiest way to get access to your results is by signing up for MyCareCompass. Results are available within 24-48 hours after visiting participating LifeLabs locations. For more information please visit our MyCareCompass page

If you prefer to receive hard copies of your results, please complete and return this Access Form.

If you have additional questions regarding accessing your results, please call the Customer Care Centre in your Province:

• British Columbia: 604-431-7206, 1-800-431-7206 
• Ontario: 1-877-849-3637 

Please email your issue to shoppingcarthelpdesk@lifelabs.com. Please check your junk folder before contacting LifeLabs.

The credit card on file will automatically be charged. In the case where there is need to update your credit card information, please email shoppingcarthelpdesk@lifelabs.com.

Please email shoppingcarthelpdesk@lifelabs.com. Please ensure you are checking your junk folder before contacting LifeLabs.

Yes. Signed requisitions are mandatory. LifeLabs will only accept and process a signed requisition.

Tests ordered through our Shopping Cart online process will only be reported to the ordering Health Care Provider

Please click here to view our return policy for details on refunds

Yes, but please ensure in step one that you are entering the information of the person you are purchasing the test for. This information will populate on the personalized requisition provided in the confirmation email. The requisition must  still be signed by an authorized healthcare provider.

Yes as long as it’s Visa or Mastercard and expiry date is later than last payment/installment.

Yes, you must have your blood work done at a LifeLabs location. Your requisition cannot be processed at another lab.

It is always recommended that you consult  your Health Care Provider prior to having any tests performed.

The Medical/Scientific staff at LifeLabs welcomes consultations from all healthcare providers regarding:

• general information about laboratory testing (utilization issues, appropriate tests to order)
• the interpretation of specific results specific
• questions or problems with testing

More information

The laboratory has defined a number of criteria for a blood film examination based on the CBC results. If these criteria are not met, then a blood film will not be done.

Most platelet clumping occurs in EDTA collected specimens. To obtain a platelet count, specifically order another CBC to be done on a citrated specimen. This will often allow for a platelet count to be determined.

Hemoglobin fractionation (Hemoglobin electrophoresis) will allow for a diagnosis of Beta-Thalassemia trait , but a definitive diagnosis of alpha thalassemia trait requires genetic testing.

Laboratory methods can accurately report results within specified ranges which have been confirmed for each test. The “>” or “<” on a report indicates that the concentration in the sample is either greater than or less than the measureable limits of that test. If the result is clinically abnormal it will be flagged as either “HI” or “LO”.

Sometimes the appropriate time for taking a TDM sample is immediately prior to the next dose when the drug concentration is at its minimum (trough concentration). Sometimes, a sample collected immediately after drug administration (peak concentration) may be required.  Evaluation of the clinical significance of the test result therefore depends on knowledge of the time when the sample was drawn.

Knowing the level of monomeric (active) prolactin in a sample helps interpret the clinical significance of the macroprolactin result.  The procedure for measuring macroprolactin actually requires determination of the monomeric prolactin result.

Among the likely causes of a spuriously high potassium are challenges with sample collection, time to centrifugation and sample transportation issues.  Clenching your fist before or during sample collection can also contribute to spuriously high potassium results.

PHL and LL use different methods for hepatitis testing and sometimes results from these two methods can and will differ.  We usually recommend retesting.  If the repeat results also differ you can consult our Medical Scientific team.

The test for ANAs can also detect non-nuclear (cytoplasmic) autoantibodies.  Where no ANA is detected but we observe a cytoplasmic pattern we have to indicate “negative” for ANA but best practice demands that we report the presence of these cytoplasmic autoantibodies.

No.  All drugs included in the BST menu will be tested with each BST screen. Only drugs detected above the reporting cut off will be reported.

This could be one of the answers, but there are other possibilities.  For example the opiate drug screen test has poor cross-reactivity with this drug and so may not detect it.  Pre-analytical error such as sample misidentification is another possibility.  Contact one our Medical/Scientific staff for further assistance.

The opiate screen can detect natural opiates such as codeine and morphine. Cross-reactivity is poor with semi-synthetic opiates such as hydrocodone, hydromorphone and oxycodone.  In addition, the test will not detect any of the synthetic opioids (i.e. fentanyl, tramadol, meperidine), methadone, or buprenorphine. 

Our employees enter the information on the requisition you provide us into our computer system. The computer produces printed labels that go on every container or test tube that holds your specimens.

At LifeLabs we use bar code scanning much like the kind you see in grocery and department stores. In our bar code system every patient receives a unique number every time he or she visits one of our locations. The bar code forms part of the label on your specimen containers. This sophisticated system makes sure that your name and specimen are accurately matched all the way through the testing process.

Laboratory tests are ordered for many different reasons; because of a problem you've reported to your doctor, to check on a condition that has already been diagnosed, or maybe to see how you're responding to prescribed medication. These are just some of the reasons why your doctor might ask for a lab test. 

As well, the same test or combinations of tests may be ordered for different reasons. Our staff cannot answer any questions about why your doctor has ordered a certain test or what (s)he is looking for. Your doctor is the best person to speak with to answer any questions you may have.