Need a blood test? You may no longer be going to the JGH Test Centre
Four CLSCs offer greater convenience and easier accessibility for tests
After generations of conditioning, many patients have come to believe there’s only one way to get a safe, reliable blood test: Go to a hospital.
The fact is, it’s simply not true, say senior officials at CIUSSS West-Central Montreal. That’s why, starting August 1, many patients who have automatically headed to the JGH Test Centre will be asked to have their blood drawn at CLSC Benny Farm, CLSC Metro, CLSC Park Extension or CLSC René Cassin.
“For most people, a simple procedure like a blood test does not need to be offered—and should not be offered—in a hospital like the Jewish,” says Francine Dupuis, Associate CEO of the CIUSSS. “To make the best use of the hospital’s resources, we need our services to primarily serve patients who require specialized treatment and care.”
Ms. Dupuis says she understands that some people may be reluctant to opt for an alternative to the JGH, where they feel comfortable and have placed their trust for so long. “We know that for some, change can be difficult,” she says, but notes that professionals at the CLSCs are every bit as competent as those at the JGH, and the results will continue to be forwarded to the patient’s physician, regardless of where the samples are analyzed.
The overall needs of the CIUSSS have also been taken into account, Ms. Dupuis explains, which is why the hours for blood tests have been doubled at CLSC René Cassin, and the service is being newly launched at CLSC Park Extension, which did not previously provide it. All of the locations are easy to reach by public transit.
In addition, a visit to a CLSC comes with significant benefits, such as less travel time since the CLSC is likely to be closer to home. CLSC René Cassin has the extra advantages of free parking and being open every morning, seven days a week.
Once the new system is in place, patients who should be going elsewhere won’t be turned away the first time they come to the JGH, Ms. Dupuis explains. However, JGH staff will remind them that their next visit should be to one of the four CLSCs or to a Family Medicine Group super-clinic.
To ensure that patients are steered in the right direction, physicians in the community are being advised of the change and are receiving information about the sites to which their patients should be directed. Patients who already have a valid JGH hospital card can continue to use the hospital’s Test Centre.
“What we’re really talking about is an overall increase in service,” says Ms. Dupuis. “It’s important to remember that this is only a modification of the location and not of the quality of the service itself.”
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A guide to the CIUSSS’s test centres
Regardless of where you go to get your blood drawn, don’t forget to bring your requisition and health insurance card. No appointment is needed for a blood test at any of the locations below.
Jewish General Hospital
3755 Côte-Sainte-Catherine Road.
Room E-109 (Pavilion E, 1st floor)
Monday to Thursday: 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday: 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Available only to individuals who already have a valid JGH hospital card.
- Patients of the Goldman Herzl Family Practice Centre should use the on-site service, instead of the JGH Test Centre.
- Patients of the Herzl Walk-In Centre should use the on-site service, instead of the JGH Test Centre.
CLSC Benny Farm
6484 Monkland Ave.
Monday to Friday: 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.
CLSC Metro
1801 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W.
Monday to Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
CLSC Park Extension
7085 Hutchison St.
Monday to Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
CLSC René Cassin – Free parking
Quartier Cavendish
5800 Cavendish Blvd.
Sunday through Saturday: 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
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