Home Care

Our Home Care services are a great way for eligible customers to have their medical samples collected, and ECG monitoring done from the comfort of their home. A specially trained LifeLabs® technician will travel to the customer’s home to collect medical samples, which will then be safely transported to a trusted LifeLabs® laboratory for testing. The results will be sent directly to the ordering health physician and will be available to customers through their MyCareCompass™ account.
Home Care services must be requested by a BC registered physician by submitting a completed requisition by fax or email indicating ‘Mobile Lab Services’.

Note that Home Care services are only available in the following regions: Vancouver Island from Victoria to Campbell River, the Lower Mainland to Hope, Kamloops, Prince George, Quesnel, Terrace and Trail.

This service is available for individuals who are unable to visit a lab due to physical immobility, significant pain or mental hardship, or the potential risk of spreading certain communicable diseases, such as rubella or chickenpox.

What are the eligibility requirements?

At the request of a BC registered physician, LifeLabs mobile lab staff will visit homebound customers to collect specimens for diagnostic testing at no extra charge. This Home Care service is reserved for patients who – for health reasons – are unable to attend one of our patient service centres.

We only provide this Home Care service at the request of physicians who are clients of LifeLabs.

Please note that not all tests are suitable for collection by Home Care Services. If a test is not eligible for collection, the physician will be notified.

Home Care service will be provided to the following customers:

• Customers who are unable to leave their home for appointments due to physical immobility.
• Customers for whom mobility causes physical/mental hardship and/or pain.
• Customers with conditions that may pose a significant health risk to the public (i.e. rubella, chicken pox).

Home Care service is not available under the following circumstances:

• Customers who ask for it because they have transportation difficulties (i.e. inclement weather, no personal vehicle).
• Customers who ask for it for personal convenience, so they don’t have to go to a patient service centre.
• LifeLabs encourages customers and family members to deliver personally collected samples to our Patient Service Centre sites (e.g. urine, stool, and sputum samples).
• If our LifeLabs staff member feels either verbally or physically threatened in any way, by the customer, anyone in the household, or the family pet.
• If the customer is able to leave their home unassisted.

LifeLabs’ in-home medical sample collection and ECG monitoring offers a convenient and compassionate option for eligible patients who are unable to visit a Patient Service Centre for specimen collection. The Home Care service brings timely testing directly to the comfort of home, reducing the need for travel or mobility-related stress. By collecting samples at home, patients experience greater ease, personalized care, and uninterrupted access to essential health testing, all while maintaining the same high-quality standards delivered at LifeLabs locations.

All British Columbia Home Care service requests must be submitted by a BC registered physician through email or fax. Please consult with your physician to submit your completed requisition.

If your physician submitted the request over 2 weeks / 10 business days ago and we have not contacted you yet to schedule your Home Care appointment, you may contact us at 1-888-333-6818

You will receive a phone call with preparation instructions the day before your appointment.

Your safety and the safety of our employees is of primary importance. To ensure the appointment runs as smoothly as possible, please:

• Have a support person with you if you need one
• Avoid smoking or vaping in the collection location 2 hours prior to the visit, nor during the visit
• Keep your pets restrained or in another room, but service animals are most welcome
• Make sure any weapons are stored away
• Ensure there is a clear and well-lit walking path to the front door and to the room you have selected for the blood draw
• Let us know if you have a history of fainting when getting blood taken so that we can take appropriate precautions, and if possible, select a place where you can lie flat for the blood draw
• Let us know if you or someone in the home has symptoms of illness, so we can take appropriate precautions. You may be asked to wear a surgical mask during the visit.