Ichor Blood Services has launched its general lab specimen collection service in Calgary and Medicine Hat. Here's how the service will provide quicker and more convenient access to lab testing for residents of those cities.
Ichor Blood Services is extremely excited to announce that we have launched our general lab collection service in Calgary and Medicine Hat. This development was made possible after completing an agreement with Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL). The service will mark the first of its kind in southern Alberta, providing improved access to lab services for those who are willing to pay out of pocket to have their sample collection done.
“We are very excited to launch this service because this is the concept that Ichor was originally founded on," says Mike Kuzmickas, Ichor Blood Services CEO. “Our phones and email inquiries for this service have not stopped since COVID-19 started, and we are very pleased that the province sees value in it and has given us the green light.”
After pivoting shortly after opening up to meet the rising demand for private COVID-19 testing, the launch of general lab collection services in Calgary and Medicine Hat is a return to the original business model that Ichor first envisioned. If you have an Alberta requisition from your health care provider for basic lab work that requires either a blood or urine sample, you can simply book an appointment with us at either our Calgary or Medicine Hat location, stop in to get your specimen collected, then have us deliver it to APL. Once your results are available, they will be sent to the physician who ordered your test. Your results will also be uploaded to your NetCare account, making them easily accessible to your primary care providers.
Providing Improved Access to Lab Testing
Being able to provide improved access to lab testing is a cause near and dear to Kuzmickas' heart. The CEO founded Ichor after having extreme difficulty making his schedule line up with lab appointments and wait times. He thought there had to be a better way, and Ichor was born shortly after.
"There was significantly more time and effort involved than I anticipated with making this work, but I'm glad we finally got there" Kuzmickas shared recently. “We are starting to build a one-stop-shop for specimen collection for both individual and corporate use.”
This one-stop-shop will see clients be able to visit Ichor locations for COVID-19 tests, general lab work, or other contract collection services as required. "Some of our clients have purchased private tests like the LifeLabs Panorama prenatal screening test for example, but have limited options to have the blood draw done; we can be that option,” says Kuzmickas.
For those who are frustrated over the current state of lab services in Alberta — much like Kuzmickas was before founding Ichor — there is now a new option available to them. One that will let them get their lab specimens collected in a more convenient and quicker way.
FAQs
Q: How much will the general lab collection service in Calgary and Medicine Hat cost?
The service is expected to cost $85.00 + GST. Please contact us to confirm before booking.
Q: Do I need anything other than a requisition from my Alberta health care provider?
Not at all. Ichor operates much like a normal lab collection location does, albeit with faster access to appointments and reduced wait times. You just need to bring your requisition into one of our locations, and we will handle the rest.
Q: What tests can you collect specimens for?
We can collect specimens for most general lab tests ordered. This includes prenatal and STI tests. Please call our Calgary location (403-660-6111) or Medicine Hat location (403-548-2840) to confirm your test specimen may be collected by us.
Q: Where are your collection locations?
Our Calgary location is located at 7777, 10 St NE, Suite 100 and our Medicine Hat location is located at 677 South Railway Street, Unit 2.
Contact Us
Looking for COVID-19 testing? Ichor is still providing COVID-19 antibody test collection and active PCR testing services in addition to our general lab collection. For more information on our COVID-19 test collection services, please give us a call at 1-844-424-6728 or fill out our contact form.
Contact Us
Contact Us for Private Blood Testing, Physician Requested General Blood Work, Corporate Group Testing for COVID-19 Antibody or COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Testing, and more!