A new, much needed, medical lab will be opening doors in Vernon this summer.
LifeLabs, a provider of medical diagnostic services, will open its first patient service centre in Vernon inside the Polson Place Mall off Highway 6.
News of the new lab comes during a critical shortage of medical lab staff in the area and hours-long wait times at medical labs in Vernon. In 2021, Valley Medical Laboratories in Lumby and the Sterling Centre Outpatient Lab in Vernon closed due to staffing shortages.
Meanwhile, the lab at Vernon Jubilee Hospital is backed up. As of Friday, May 12, there is one appointment availability in June — otherwise, patients have to wait until July to get make an appointment for blood work.
LifeLabs will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The lab will provide people with access to blood collection, Holter monitoring and electrocardiography services on both a walk-in and appointment basis.
“We are honoured to be able to extend our expertise and over 60 years of experience to the Okanagan region,” said Charles Brown, president and CEO of LifeLabs. “We look forward to celebrating this milestone with the community and forging new relationships with healthcare providers and customers.”
LifeLabs has served the diagnostic healthcare needs of residents across Canada for more than 60 years. B.C. LifeLabs centres see over 20,000 patients daily.
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