Question regarding blood tests costs?

nmene

Hi, not sure if anyone knows the answer to this.

I have an appointment with a consultant coming up and he wants me to get some blood test done. Very basic ones but he works in a private hospital and they would charge me E100 for it.

I asked them if they get write out the blood test order and I go to the Public Hospital having the tests done there. I know the public hospital accepts those orders from GP's and I assume its free as HSE pays for it but is there a difference if the blood test request comes from a consultant?

I may have to take the test 4xmonth for awhile + the cost of the consultant itself is a bit much, so if there is a way to get the blood test done through HSE it would save alot of money.

Anyone knows?

Thanks

dollydishmop

Not sure if this helps you, but my GP does all my blood tests.

One or more consultants may tell me what tests they want done, and how frequent...and then I get my GP to do them.

I can usually go and pick up copies of the results 2 days later. I usually request 2 copies, and then I keep a copy for myself, and give the 2nd copy to the consultant at my next appointment.

Occasionally the consultant will give me a blood sample envelope, with the tests he wants done ticked off by pen, but more usually he just tells me which blood panels he wants done.

nmene

Ty for that. So if I understand this correctly then a GP can prescribe the blood tests and I go to the outpatient blood lab department and they do the tests for free leaving me with a 'small' GP charge (well whatever they charge for writing out the lab order)

So does that mean Consultants can't issue such a blood work request as the GP's? I am def. somewhat confused by the irish healt system.

The GP way will def. be way cheaper than paying E100 4x month to have the blood tests done in a private hospital but if anyone can confirm that a consultants blood test order will be also accepted in a public hospital (outpatient) the same was as the GP's order does, that would be the best way.

dollydishmop

nmene wrote: »

Ty for that. So if I understand this correctly then a GP can prescribe the blood tests and I go to the outpatient blood lab department and they do the tests for free leaving me with a 'small' GP charge (well whatever they charge for writing out the lab order)

So does that mean Consultants can't issue such a blood work request as the GP's? I am def. somewhat confused by the irish healt system.

You're confusing me now :pac:

Perhaps you misunderstood me too?

Myconsultant(s) decide what tests they want done, and my GP is the one who does them.
I have had them done in hospital too, in the phlebotomy dept, because a consultant might want an extra one done there and then, but usually I go to my GP...she draws the blood, sends it off, and then I collect the results from my GP's reception office a couple of days later.

nmene wrote: »

The GP way will def. be way cheaper than paying E100 4x month to have the blood tests done in a private hospital but if anyone can confirm that a consultants blood test order will be also accepted in a public hospital (outpatient) the same was as the GP's order does, that would be the best way.

I'm afraid I can't answer this one...as I'm a public patient through and through.

CramCycle

Your GP will take the bloods and send them down to your local hospital lab. Results are 3 to 5 working days. Just arrange to pick them up or have him ring you. The consultants fee should cover it though, very surprising if it doesn't, it used to.

cltt97

I go to a private consultant in the Charlemont clinic and he's written me a lab form for Tallaght hospital and I went there as public patient at no cost. On other occasions he told me over the phone what lab tests I should get done and I went to my GP and they filled in the form and I went up to Tallaght or James hospital (depending on the test I needed).
I also once saw a private consultant in James and he wanted me to get bloods done and I would not have been able to get them done as public patient, I would have had to pay, so it seems to depend what consultant and what hospital you go to. He told me that James phlebotomy might not accept me as being referred by a private consultant. So I just went to GP and got him to issue the form for me. Then I just ring GP and get them to print results and bring/send them to consultant.

nmene

Ty everyone for the replies. I talked to my GP and she said I can have the blood drawn there and they sent it to the public HSE for free testing. No clue how much they charge for drawing the blood but the normal fee they charge is E50 except last time when they referred me to the consultant and it was 'only' E35.
So I would assume it won't cost more than E50 for the blood tests alone and thats still E50 cheaper than the consultant said it would cost in the private hospital.

When I have my appointment with him i'll ask him why a consultant can't send the blood samples to have it tested for free such as a GP.

Anyways thanks for the help.

To: cltt97 - Yeah I thought it would work like this too - just get the lab form -> go to my public hospital and have the blood drawn there at the outpatient place and they would send the results to my GP/Consultant. This way it should be absolutely free while the GP charges you something to draw the blood and send it in, whatever the cost might be. The hospital is only 10min walk from my doctor so I have no problems to get my blood drawn at the hospital itself if that option were available

sam34

nmene wrote: »

When I have my appointment with him i'll ask him why a consultant can't send the blood samples to have it tested for free such as a GP.

generally if a consultant doesnt work at a hospital they cant get bloods done there. so if your consultant works full time in a private hospital, a public hosp wont do bloods for him.

cltt97

Ah, my consultant (private in the Charlemont) is public in Tallaght, so that's probably why that worked with him giving me a lab form for Tallaght public phlebotomy. the private consultant in James private was public in James as well though, but he said they wouldn't accept his referral in the public lab in James. very strange.
But what I also don't get is why GPs charge through the roof for taking blood samples. I remmber that GP I used to go to in Rathmines who charged 75 Euro just for a blood test when all she did was draw the blood and send it off to James hospital. My current GP doesn't charge anything. I get the form and off I got to James/Tallaght hospital. then I ring in for the results and bring them to the consultant. At least the GP should give you the choice - it might work better for some people who would have to travel for miles to get to a hospital, but if it's convenient enough it makes little difference if you go to your GP or straight to the hospital.

CramCycle

nmene wrote: »

When I have my appointment with him i'll ask him why a consultant can't send the blood samples to have it tested for free such as a GP.

other reasons highlighted recently

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2IlCDGMSBM

Condo131

My consultant operates out of a private hospital/clinic. The second time I went to him, he had me have a test done in the clinic - it cost €115 (and that was nearly 3 years ago). I'd always had the same test done by my GP, so the only cost to me was the cost of the GP visit €50.

Since then, I've had the GP do it and brought the results with me. The consultant was happy, particularly as he had the results when I saw him, instead of having to wait for them, so it was a win-win situation.

If you do get your GP to do the test, remember to have it done in good time, so that you have your results before going to see your consultant. I like to have it done about 3 weeks beforehand.

BC

I see my consultant privately (Mater Private). He gives me a letter for blood tests and I get them done publicly (Mater Public). I have to pay for them because the results are going to the private hospital. I get a bill about a month after the tests usually. I have got them done in the private hospital and its more than double the price for the same test. Costs me around 30 in the public and around 70 or 80 in the private.

nmene

Ok had my first round of blood tests done yest. for E50 with my GP. They said they have a nurse coming 2x per week to just draw blood and it would be less costly to do it that way (not sure how much less)

She also explained to me how the system works a little better. If you are referred to a consultant operating out of a private hospital only, they are only allowed to run blood tests within that hospital which isn't free ofcourse.

If a consultant is affiliated with private and public hospital, he could send out the blood samples to test for free or sent you to the hospital directly for testing which also costs less ofcourse.

If you have a private hospital consultant only, your best/cheapest way is to go through your GP and have him/her forward the results to the Consultant.

You can find a consultant affiliation here (not sure if complete) http://www.vhi.ie/personalise/controller/ConsultantSearch

Well at least now i understand the system a little better and if i get the blood tests done by the nurse next time it shouldn't be too bad. Way cheaper than the private hospital lab costs anyways.

onimpulse

For 3 or 4 years I paid in a private hospital where the private consultant practiced. For the test I had to have it was always approx €200, now I go to my GP's surgery and the Nurse there does them for €20. I call in about a week later collect the results and bring to the consultant. Considering I'm paying him as well, I think I'm paying enough!

smares

I see a consultant every month or so and always have to have blood tests,I see her in a private hospital but she always give the list of bloods to have done and i go to peamount hospital where i have them done for free im in and out in ten minutes and they send them back to her,always gone to peamount,I can't believe blood tests cost as much as your saying.
Even my GP will tell me to go over to peamount to have them done as i will get done for nothing.
Try and get the gp to do them rather than hospital might work out cheaper for you

bernmee

Very interesting thread.

So I read last night in the Herald that some GP's are charging in addition to their fees for the testing of blood, despite the fact that the HSE tests the bloods for free.

Just thought I would add that.

cltt97

Oh yeah. A few years ago I went to this GP, paid 50 Euros for the service, was told I needed bloods done, but they weren't taking blood that day, so had to come back two day later and pay 75 Euro for it! There's plenty of them out there that charge for it. I can see how there may be a nominal charge for storing and transporting the blood to the hospital, but some are just milking it! So my advice to everyone, if a hospital is close by, get the GP to write out a lab slip and just go directly to the hospital.

nmene

Just a quick update as I just scheduled an appointment with my GP for the 2nd blood test. I can have it done via a nurse in my GP's office who comes 2x a week and it 'only' cost E30 instead of E50 the doctor would charge for it.

When asked if they could just write a prescription for the blood test and I go to the hospital myself (only 5min walk) as suggested by another person here they said ' we don't do this'

Oh well E30 each week for a couple of weeks is much better than the original E100 in the private hospital although its still alot for a service the HSE provides for free to the doctors but they charge their patients for it.