I pulled into the parking lot and called the place from my phone. It's confusing, as you don't enter through the main doors. You go through the side door to the lab. However, the sign says to wait until someone opens the door. I got none of that until seven minutes later.
I finally sat in the lab chair. The technician drawing my blood looked at my Ontario health card and insisted that I get it renewed. Um, no. According to ServiceOntario, expired cards (mine expired in July, which is my birth month) are still valid. ServiceOntario wants to limit the number of folks visiting each location during the pandemic. She continued to tell me to call the Ministry of Health. What?
She went on to explain that her daughter went to a ServiceOntario location to get her card renewed. That action doesn't mean that I need to do the same, to "avoid being charged if labs don't go through on [my] expired card." It's not my problem. It's between the province and the lab. I'm a patient who is informed. What is frustrating is that bloodwork woman should be informed, but isn't.
She wanted to draw blood from my right arm. Again, no. I always have it done on my left, non-dominant arm, which apparently required moving the chair over for her. Getting up caused my hoodie to fall on the floor, which I was not impressed about. I have since laundered it.
It wasn't the nicest start to my morning. To ease my mind, I did call ServiceOntario while driving home from grabbing breakfast out, and spoke to both the health and transportation sectors. My health card, driver's licence, and licence plate stickers are all expired. Both representatives said that I was good using my expired cards and stickers, as they are valid during this pandemic until further notice.
Take that, ill-informed bloodwork woman.
Hi CutieBootie - I won't pretend to know how Ontario works, but yes you would expect that bloodwork woman would know. Here in the US (at least in my state) so many allowances have been made for expired documents as the government wants to limit the amount of people at facilities. Also when I donate blood, the chairs have these arm rests that switch easily from one side to the other for ease of the donor. You would think the lab would have the same.
ReplyDeleteMaybe not the nicest start to your morning, but at least it is done.
Best,
Enzo
I'm so glad that the state in which you reside has made flexible exceptions for expired documents. It's sensible. I just wish that bloodwork woman would be more informed.
DeleteYes, the chair issue was annoying. I'm pleased that when you donate blood, the chairs are far more accommodating. I think that bloodwork woman was being a pill.