Blood draw services

daveyjoe

Hi, I want to get my blood drawn and sent off to a lab in Belgium. The blood needs to be centrifuged immediately after clotting, aliquoted and shipped frozen. My GP said she's happy to write up a letter for me if needed. Is there any place around Cork that would do this for me?

The lab in Belgium recommends FedEx for shipping but couldn't help with finding a local blood draw place.

Martina1991

Your GP can fill out a blood test request form and take the blood sample or you can get your blood drawn at an outpatients dept in your local hospital.

The sample would then be sent to the hospital lab to be centrifuged, aliquoted and and sent to the referral lab via the hospital laboratory courier service.

daveyjoe

Thanks Martina1991. The lab in Belgium is a private lab though and not a lab that a GP can do a referral for.

Any ideas? Are there private phlebotomy clinics that might do this for me?

Martina1991

Wherever you get the blood drawn doesn't matter.
The GP might not have the contact information of this Belgian lab but the hospital lab might.

The hospital laboratory sends the sample to the referral lab via courier. The results should then come back from Belgium to the hospital lab and then are sent to the GP.

For full clarification your GP should ring the local hospital lab and see of they can send out your sample for you.

Dingle_berry

There are lots of phlebotomists around but none or very few, with a centrifuge.
Your local lab would probably be unwilling to spin down separate and freeze some randomers blood, even if they have a letter from a GP.

OP get the exact protocol from the lab in Belgium, I.E. centrifuge settings, temperature of freezing, container types, volumes required, etc etc. Then phone your local hospital and ask to be put through to the scientist in charge of specimen reception / biochemistry.

beeno67

Why are you sending a sample to Belgium?

If a test needs doing, the hospital lab will usually sort it all out. You just wait for the result. Patients don't have to arrange how the test is done or anything else with the test.

daveyjoe

beeno67 wrote: »

Why are you sending a sample to Belgium?

If a test needs doing, the hospital lab will usually sort it all out. You just wait for the result. Patients don't have to arrange how the test is done or anything else with the test.

Because they are specialised tests, the lab in Belgium are private and they are the only lab that performs these specific tests in the EU.

beeno67

daveyjoe wrote: »

Because they are specialised tests, the lab in Belgium are private and they are the only lab that performs these specific tests in the EU.

That doesn't change what I said though. If the test is needed, the lab in Ireland will arrange it. It happens sometimes that tests need to get sent abroad to be done.

RobFowl

Who is referring you for the test? Would probably be best to ask them.
You could ask your GP but not something most could or would do IMO.
Maybe ask the Beacon hosp, they do private bloods and may give you a price to take and send this on.

daveyjoe

RobFowl wrote: »

Who is referring you for the test? Would probably be best to ask them.
You could ask your GP but not something most could or would do IMO.
Maybe ask the Beacon hosp, they do private bloods and may give you a price to take and send this on.

Nobody is referring me. They are speciality research markers in the EU, I am doing it off my own back. My GP said she will write me a letter if needed though. I can give you more information over DM if you like.

RobFowl

daveyjoe wrote: »

Nobody is referring me. They are speciality research markers in the EU, I am doing it off my own back. My GP said she will write me a letter if needed though. I can give you more information over DM if you like.

Fire away. May be able to help.