Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
Starting in March, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) will be expanding its online patient booking system to include lab services.
That would include appointments for services such as blood and urine collection, electrocardiogram tests, and glucose tolerance tests.
The SHA hopes to have six lab sites go live by April. Three would be in Moose Jaw, with one in each of Swift Current, Prince Albert and North Battleford.
The SHA said appointments in Regina and Saskatoon can be booked through LifeLabs, a Canadian lab-service provider.
“The expansion of the patient booking system is a huge step forward in our efforts to maximize efficiency and ensure safety in our delivery of lab services. This is an exciting development for all patients, families, and staff in Saskatchewan,” Lenore Howey, the SHA’s executive director of laboratory medicine clinical services, said in a media release.
“Booking online only takes a few minutes, making things simple and fast for those who are scheduling their appointments. Users who aren’t comfortable with, or don’t have access to technology can book by phone.”
The SHA said in the release that not all lab locations or tests can be booked at this time.
“Appointments will be phased into SHA lab locations provincially. If you do not see the appointment type or desired location, continue with the current booking process,” the SHA said.
It said the fastest way to get an appointment is through the SHA patient booking system. People will need a valid health card and phone number/email address in order to book an appointment through the system.
