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LifeLabs makes operational changes at its Thunder Bay labs (2 Photos)

Oliver Road site will be a walk-in location, while two other labs will only take appointments.

THUNDER BAY — LIfeLabs is making significant operational changes, and bringing in additional staff, at its three Thunder Bay locations.

Next week, two collection sites will start serving clients by appointment only, while the third will become strictly a walk-in location.

The company says the changes are part of its response to challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clients needing physician-ordered bloodwork or other tests have frequently experienced long wait times outside the 1040 Oliver Road site.

After the pandemic was declared, LifeLabs temporarily closed its Port Arthur Health Centre location, putting increased pressure on the Oliver Road and Arthur Street operations.

At the same time, COVID-19 restrictions reduced the available seating in waiting areas.

Patients have frequently lined up in the open air outside the Oliver Road building, even though LIfeLabs set up a second waiting area.

In an effort to alleviate the situation, as of Tuesday, Oct. 6, the Oliver Road site will transition to walk-in service only. Appointments at this location can no longer be booked in advance.

On the same date, the site at the Port Arthur Health Centre will reopen for patients who book appointments, but not for walk-in clients. 

The location at West Arthur Place on Arthur Street will also transition to an appointment-only facility.

In a statement to Tbnewswatch, the company said its experience in other cities in recent months has shown that temporarily shifting some labs to the appointment-only model has streamlined the flow of clients.

"These adjustments will further enable our health and safety protocols at our collection sites as we work towards maintaining physical distancing and limiting the amount of time customers spend at each location to reduce the potential transmission of COVID-19," it said.

LifeLabs said it has also worked to overcome staffing shortages. 

Since July, it has hired 15 new staff in Thunder Bay, and is looking to fill nine additional positions.

The new workers, it said, "are currently participating in rigorous training to ensure a high-quality experience" for clients, and will be added to the shift schedule on a rolling basis as their training is completed.

The company added that staff at some of its locations across Canada have been subjected to increasing verbal – and sometimes physical – attacks.

It said it appreciates the patience and understanding of its Thunder Bay clients as everyone continues to adapt to what it called these unprecedented times.



Gary Rinne

About the Author: Gary Rinne

Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Gary started part-time at Tbnewswatch in 2016 after retiring from the CBC
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