Frequently Asked Questions

1 Bring your medical prescription. Check the clarity of the following information:

• Your name, first name, and health insurance number.
• The name, first name, and address of the requesting doctor.

2 Bring your medicare card.

You can drink water at any time!

Fast from midnight onward from all food and alcohol (unless otherwise advised by us).

Plan for approximately 10 to 15 minutes for the duration of your appointment.

If you have small veins, be aware that the cold constricts your veins... which are already small! Our advice: keep your arms warm for about fifteen minutes before your blood test. Wear a fleece or long-sleeved shirt (yes, even in summer because of the air conditioning!). Also, regularly and vigorously rub the tops of your arms in the few minutes before your blood draw (over your clothes). This friction will generate heat and activate your blood circulation... a simple but very effective little secret!

The results of regular or "routine" tests generally take between 6 and 72 hours to reach your doctor via the DSQ (Dossier Santé Québec) online system.

Some clinics still prefer the postal system, which increases the delay to about 7 to 10 business days, but this is rather rare.

For certain specialized tests and out-of-region doctors, the delay can be up to 3 to 4 weeks.

However, very few results exceed a 4-week delay.

We can better inform you about the timing of your results once we know the details of your prescription.