Where to find lab services in B.C. as LifeLabs strike passes two-month mark

Unionized LifeLabs workers in B.C. have been on strike for over two months, resulting in the ongoing rotation of closures at its various locations.

For patients in the province who require laboratory services, the job action, which began on Feb. 16, can result in “general delays,” according to LifeLabs.

The BC General Employees’ Union, which represents nearly 1,200 LifeLabs employees across the province, said at the time that job action was launched “after months of negotiations and LifeLabs’ refusal to bring wages and benefits in line with the cost of living, or to address poor working conditions resulting from chronic understaffing.”

While LifeLabs is a designated essential service and continues to operate and remain open, some patients may need to seek alternatives for completing their doctor’s lab requisitions.

BCGEU/ Facebook

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According to the Government of B.C., over 4,200 publicly funded tests are available in B.C., with more than 57 million tests performed in 2022-23. These include blood tests, cancer screenings, and stool samples.

“Laboratory services play a key role in the health of B.C. residents,” the provincial government added. “Over 70 per cent of medical diagnoses are based on laboratory test results.”

Patients in B.C. can access laboratory services in public and private labs and hospitals. Some of the alternatives to LifeLabs in B.C. include:

• Vancouver Coastal Health facilities like Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre, Lions Gate Hospital, Whistler Health Care Centre, and qathet General Hospital
• Fraser Health facilities such as Burnaby Hospital, Langley Memorial Hospital, Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre, and Fraser Canyon Hospital
• Island Health facilities, including Campbell River Hospital, Royal Jubilee Hospital, Victoria General Hospital, and Nanaimo Regional General Hospital
• Interior Health facilities like 100 Mile District General Hospital, Kelowna General Hospital, Penticton Regional Hospital, and Vernon Jubilee Hospital
• Northern Health facilities, including Dawson Creek and District Hospital, Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital and Health Centre, Valemount Health Centre, and the University Hospital of Northern BC
• Dynacare Blood Test Labs and Health Services, which have several locations in B.C.’s Interior

Vancouver Coastal Health

The types of tests offered vary by location, and many require a doctor’s referral and requisition form. Some locations accept walk-in patients while others require an appointment.

In the meantime, British Columbians who have appointments or are looking to schedule services at LifeLabs can check the online location finder for information about which centres will be open.

With files from Simran Singh