Blood tests can give you information about your health, and may help diagnose (or more often out rule) disease. Tests such as cholesterol levels can also indicate your risk of developing disease in the future. Unfortunately there isn't a blood test for everything just yet!
Ask your doctor: Some blood tests have special requirements, so you should ask any doctor requesting tests for you whether you need to fast (this is usually only required for cholesterol or glucose testing) or have them done at a particular time. Even if you are fasting it is important to take enough water to drink, and take your medication unless specifically told not to. If you are prone to fainting at medical procedures do tell the person taking your blood beforehand! It is also important to ask when results will be available and how they will be followed up. Remember, if you aren't told, ASK!.
Having blood tests taken in Glen Easton Medical Centre
Laboratory deliveries are made on Tuesday,Thursday and Friday mornings. Because blood generally needs to be tested soon after it is taken, blood tests are usually taken at these times (although some blood tests can be taken at other times). You can make special appointments for this service. Samples are analyzed in St James's Hospital Laboratory and results are reported back to us securely on-line. Many results are routinely available within 24 hours, with only a few types of tests taking more than a few days.
Having blood tests taken elsewhere
Blood tests for children: We do not provide blood testing for young children, this is best done in a Children's Hospital
Information on Tallaght Hospital Children's blood tests here. The Blood test dept in Crumlin can be contacted at 01 409 6823 Information on blood tests in Temple St here.
Blood tests for adults: Many public hospitals offer a blood sampling service. Once you have blood tests requested by a doctor, you can have blood taken and the results will be sent to the doctor who requested them. This service is free of charge but an appointment is usually necessary.
Details for some local hospitals are :
- St James's Hospital blood testing
- Peamount Hospital blood testing
- Tallaght Hospital Adult blood tests
Blood testing in Private hospitals / clinics:
Be aware if getting blood testing in private hospitals or clinics: These can be very expensive as you will usually be charged the full cost of the tests done as an outpatient. If you have a request from a Private consultant we can usually arrange to do the testing for you, and forward the results to the requesting doctor for them to follow-up.
What about the results?
You should ask whoever requests the tests what the follow-up arrangements are. We also suggest that you ask the person taking blood from you to advise you when the results will be available and to whom they will be sent, so that you know when to follow-up.
Different arrangements apply in different circumstances, however in general the results of tests done are sent to the doctor named on the investigation request, and if ordered by a hospital doctor will not be routinely sent to your GP and vice versa.
If the follow-up you are expecting does not happen as planned, please take the initiative to check with the doctor, because even in good systems things can go missing sometimes and it may not be safe to assume that "no news is good news". If in doubt, ask.