Some Halifax residents frustrated with bloodwork backlog

Blood work is the latest health procedure with a long wait time in and around Halifax.

Some residents in the Halifax area are frustrated when it comes to bloodwork.

“Everyone is saying, look online, go through all the different places. I was willing to travel wherever I needed to get the bloodwork,” said Lisa Baker. “You go online, you’re looking through the central zone, then you go to the eastern zone, the western zone. It’s like there’s nothing here at all.

“Even if I wanted morning, afternoon, there’s no chance to select my availability. It’s what’s available for them.”

On May 9, the province launched the One Person One Record (OPOR) system to streamline health services. Online and through the app, there is a notice explaining services may be slower with fewer appointments available.

On Thursday, Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson addressed questions about the backlog.

“We know that with the implementation, we have had to reduce some capacity in the system in order to get folks prepared and ready,” she said. “We are aware of that. Folks should just continue to go to the website and, you know, sign up for those available appointments. But certainly we are aware and we’ve heard from folks as well.”

CTV News Atlantic reached out to Nova Scotia Health Authority with questions about the timeline of the backlog.

“Nova Scota Health implemented its new clinical information system in Central Zone May 9 and continues to support staff and physicians in adapting how they work,” they said in a statement. “This transition supports stronger, more efficient care for patients now and into the future.”

Regarding access to Nova Scotia Health blood collection appointments, services in Central Zone (including the Halifax region, Eastern Shore and West Hants) are currently operating at reduced capacity as teams adapt to the new OPOR clinical information system. As part of the Go-Live plan for pathology and laboratory medicine, outpatient blood collection appointments were temporarily reduced to support a smooth and safe transition during implementation.

Reduced capacity is expected to continue for up to six weeks following Go-Live, with appointment availability potentially impacted throughout May and June. Teams are assessing operations weekly, including an early review after the first two-to-three weeks, and additional appointment capacity will be added gradually as workflows stabilize.

Patients are encouraged to review availability across blood collection locations. If an appointment is urgent, patients can call 902-473-2074 or 1-833-942-2298 for assistance.

Baker said there is a backlog on the urgent line as well.

“People are complaining all over social media about the insane wait times for blood work across the province,” she said. “People are starting to share that emergency number, so, unfortunately, when you call, it’s not as much of an emergency. And they are kind of questioning people now.”

As for rolling out additional assessments and appointments, Thompson said should they be available within the framework of the new system, they could come before the six weeks.

“Similar to other times of the year, on occasion, we do have slowdowns in the health-care system around procedures,” she said. “And so this would be similar. And but certainly as soon as services are able to ramp up, we will do that. If they feel that they’re able to ramp back up prior to that planned delay, then we would do that.”

Baker said this backlog for bloodwork has been going longer than the month, saying she has been waiting six months.

“They were like, ‘We’re going to add more appointments as available. We’re assessing weekly,’ but obviously given the number of people that need bloodwork, they’re not,” she said. “I’ve tried that. I’ve been on there right away when they’ve told me to go on at a certain times. 11 a.m. on a Thursday, you go on, you see a couple, and then as soon as you get in there to get your information, they’re gone, which I can completely understand.

“There’s people literally waiting by the phone or waiting by the computer to try to get those appointments because they’re desperate.”

Baker needs bloodwork for herself and her grandmother, for whom she is the primary caregiver. Both have medical needs that can flare up but because of her situation there are certain times when bloodwork is necessary.

“I just hope that they’re going to see that this is becoming an issue. And this urgent line is now becoming a free-for-all,” she said. “Everybody’s getting it online. It’s not urgent anymore. We’re still waiting. They’re still not appropriate wait times out there. I hope there’ll be some change.”

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