Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Page 1 of 34
Blood Collection Survey for HRM and West Hants: What we heard
Introduction
In the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), patients can choose where to have
their blood collected for testing. They may go to one of a number of publicly
provided blood collection centres operated by the Nova Scotia Health Authority
(NSHA) or the IWK Health Centre. NSHA offers a drop-in service where no
appointment is required. A recent pilot project expanding hours at three
locations into the evening and Saturday has been well received, with indications
that the public appreciates the improved accessibility.
Patients can also choose go to an independent blood collector (phlebotomist) in
a clinic setting or in their home where they pay a fee as established by the
business owner. These private services are not covered under Nova Scotia’s
public health insurance. Independent phlebotomists (IPs) offer a convenient
service to the public, and they play a role supporting the demand for blood
collection in our community.
Approximately 30 per cent of the blood specimens collected in the Central Zone
(former Capital Health District) come from IPs, while the remaining 70 per cent
are collected in the publicly operated clinics. The public system does not
currently have the resources to address all the demand for blood collection
services, such as in-home service.
Background
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PLM) initiated a five-phase pilot project in
May 2014 intended to address some blood collection service and access issues
brought about by the cancellation of a large IP contract. A number of
improvements have been implemented, and PLM continues to monitor the
impact of expanding the blood collection hours of service at St. Margaret’s Bay,
Bayers Rd, and Dartmouth General Hospital, looking at all aspects of the service
including wait times, patient volumes and use of resources. PLM opened a new
Page 2 of 34
location, Woodlawn Blood Collection, in Dartmouth on July 13, 2015 and is
investigating options to address other service gaps, particularity in the
community of Spryfield.
Overall, there are a number of issues that led to the need to engage
stakeholders around improvements in blood collection in the HRM. These
include:
Quality and Patient Safety: Hospitals and laboratories are required to gather
information and report on events that have potential to cause harm to a patient.
The average percent error rate on samples collected by IPs is more than 12
times higher than the percent error rate on specimens that are collected by
laboratory staff in publicly operated outpatient clinics. Following up and
managing quality issues for safe patient care places an increased cost on both
the health care system and the patient. We need to better understand this issue
in order to address it properly.
Access: The Central Zone of NSHA directly serves an estimated 40 per cent of
Nova Scotians and has boundaries that extend from Halifax to Sheet Harbour to
Windsor. There are 13 outpatient blood collection locations (including the IWK)
that operate as part of the public health system and serve this large area and
population. For some patients access to a public blood collection site is not
ideal. Factors to consider when looking at accessibility include:
costs associated with expansion of service hours
impact on the laboratories receiving specimens
number of patients accessing service
current location of publicly operated clinics
public transportation and parking
mobility of patients requiring the service, and
direct cost to patients; many patients are willing to pay for convenience
while others cannot afford this option
Page 3 of 34
Connectivity: Physicians and other health care providers rely on electronic
information systems for their patients’ laboratory results. When a patient uses
a NSHA or IWK clinic they are registered in a system that connects physicians to
laboratory test results through a provincial computer portal (called ‘Share’).
Patients whose specimen is collected by an independent phlebotomist are not
registered into this system so their results are not easily shared with their
physician. Access to the Central Zone registration system is not possible for
private businesses due to privacy and security regulations.
Wait times: The number of independent blood collection businesses has
increased dramatically in recent years while publicly operated services have
struggled to keep up with the demand for service while meeting fiscal targets.
This has resulted in patients experiencing an increased wait despite the
implementation of efficiencies. The recent expansion of hours at Central Zone
collection centres has resulted in improved access but patients may still
experience a shorter wait time when they visit an IP clinic, in part due to the
fact that registration is not performed prior to collection.
Workload and Workflow: A number of issues arise from IP collections that have
a direct impact on the workflow at the laboratory, creating additional workload
and delay in processing. The registration of these samples at time of receipt in
the laboratory is more time consuming than registering patients directly at an
NSHA or IWK blood collection clinic. Issues such as incomplete patient
information, delays in transportation and incorrect specimen collection may
result in cancellation of specimens. Documentation of errors and subsequent
follow-up is costly and time consuming. Even samples that are unacceptable
must still be registered so there is a record of the incident and a report can be
generated for the physician. It is important to understand that it takes longer to
process a rejected sample than a properly collected sample.
Customer Service: Our patients have a right to high-quality service every time.
We provide training to all staff to help ensure that each patient encounter is
Page 4 of 34
the best experience possible, understanding that wait times, access issues,
hours of operation and other factors can create stresses for patients that lead
to disappointment, or worse, conflict with staff. Although staff who work
under independently operated blood collection services are not employed by
PLM, complaints from the public are often directed to PLM or the Department of
Health and Wellness (DHW). These complaints can influence if a contract with an
IP will be renewed.
Methodology
In light of the challenges facing blood collection, PLM, in conjunction with
Patient & Public Engagement at the NSHA, formed an Advisory Committee
composed of stakeholders and citizens. The committee was tasked to provide
insight into the following:
What changes must NSHA Central Zone make to its community blood collection
services to better meet the needs and expectations of community, address
quality and safety issues, and inform a plan for expanding laboratory capacity?
The Committee featured representation from local Community Health Boards,
the Group of IX Seniors Advisory Council of Nova Scotia, the IWK Health Centre,
the former Capital Health, Independent Phlebotomists, Long Term Care, the
Nova Scotia College of Medical Lab Technologists (NSCMLT), Patients/Citizens,
Physicians, and the DHW.
Between December 8, 2014 and April 13, 2015, the Advisory Committee met six
times. Over the course of the meetings, the Committee helped create and
review a survey for members of the public, in conjunction with an associated
communications brief. Once the survey was completed, members of the
Advisory Committee also helped identify the top issues as determined from the
survey.
Page 5 of 34
Survey: The survey was a 15-item measure administered using the Select Survey
online software, with paper copies distributed to blood collection site waiting-
rooms and prepaid envelopes distributed to independent phlebotomists for in-
home and other independent service users. The survey included both
qualitative and quantitative components. A copy of the survey is included in
appendix A.
The online survey was open to respondents between February 23 and March 9,
2015. In total there were 3,585 complete and incomplete online survey
responses. There were another 233 paper surveys that were submitted by in-
home users of IP services and respondents who completed the survey in a
public blood collection facility waiting-room.
After the survey data was collected, Advisory Committee members were asked
to come to consensus regarding the top issues identified in the survey response
data. The committee also created a list of ‘things to consider’ from the survey
data.
An external consultant was tasked with disseminating the qualitative and
location data from the survey.
Page 6 of 34
Survey Results
Participant demographics: Overall, survey participants represented a wide range
of ages, with almost half of all respondents between the ages of 45 and 64.
Table 1. How old are you?
Age
% of
respondents
Under 18 0.3%
18-24 2.1%
25-44 24.9%
45-64 48.3%
65 or
older 24.4%
Total 100.00%
Page 7 of 34
Source: Novima Solutions
While specific location data was not collected, respondents were asked to
provide the first three characters of their postal code. The majority of
respondents reside in the Halifax/Dartmouth metropolitan area, with a number
of other areas in the Halifax Regional Municipality also represented. Geo-
coding of the postal code data was completed by Novima Solutions.
Figure 1. Where do you live? (First three characters of postal code only, e.g.
B3L)
Page 8 of 34
Every blood collection site in the Central Zone of NSHA was represented in the
survey. The two largest public blood collection sites represented were Bayers
Road and Dartmouth General Hospital, while about a quarter of all respondents
used independent services most often.
Table 2. Where do you normally go to have your blood taken for testing? If you
go to more than one location, please choose the one you use most often.
Location
% of
respondents
Independent Service (clinic) 23.60%
Bayer's Road Blood Collection 18.50%
Dartmouth General Hospital 18.40%
Cobequid Community Health Centre 12.30%
St. Margaret's Bay Blood Collection 9.40%
Halifax Infirmary Site, QEII 5.40%
Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital 2.90%
Victoria General Site, QEII 2.40%
IWK 1.90%
Hants Community Hospital 1.70%
Independent Service (in-home) 1.60%
Eastern Shore Memorial Hospital 1.00%
Musquodoboit Valley Memorial Hospital 0.70%
Don't get my blood taken/This is my first
time 0.30%
Independent Service (long term care) 0.10%
Page 9 of 34
Figure 2. Proportion of public and IP service users among respondents
Most respondents were casual users of blood collections services, using the
service at least once every six months, or at least once a year.
Table 3. How often do you have your blood taken for testing?
Frequency % of respondents
Once a week or more 1.6%
At least once a month 11.9%
At least once every 6
months 40.9%
At least once a year 32.3%
Less than once a year 12.4%
Never/First Time 0.9%
The vast majority, over 87 per cent, of respondents who indicated that they
used IP services most often also indicated they have used public blood
collection services at some point previously.
Page 10 of 34
Table 4. Have you ever had your blood taken at a Capital Health or IWK
location? (Independent Phlebotomy users only)
Response % of respondents
Yes 87.1%
No 11.6%
Don't Know/Prefer not to say 1.3%
Almost half of IP users indicated they prefer the service because of a longer
wait for public blood collection services.
Table 5. Why don't you get your blood taken at a location run by Capital Health
or the IWK? (Independent Phlebotomy users only)
Reason
% of
respondents
Wait for public services is too long 45.20%
Inconvenient 32.40%
Accessibility issues 8.90%
Prefer home/business 2.80%
Not exposed to germs 2.50%
Require in-home for health reasons 2.00%
Parking concerns 1.80%
Professionalism of staff 1.30%
Can't take time off work 1.30%
Ability to make own appt 0.90%
Rapport with staff 0.70%
Previous negative experience with CH 0.10%
Privacy 0.10%
Total 100.00%
Page 11 of 34
Service preference: When asked about what they liked about their blood
collection location, most respondents chose parking, followed by being located
close to home and hours of operation.
Table 6. What do you like about this location? Please check all that apply.
Response % of
respondents
Response % of
respondents
Parking 17.63% Skilled/professional staff 0.30%
Close to home 17.27% Easy registration 0.19%
Hours of operation 13.36% Close to other services 0.10%
Short wait times 13.17% Accessibility 0.09%
Staff 13.08% Child friendly 0.04%
Facility is clean 12.56% Not exposed to germs 0.04%
Close to doctor's office 5.23% Prefer public 0.04%
Close to work 4.11% Scent Free 0.03%
Close to public
transportation
2.44% Waiting area 0.02%
No cost 0.30%
Page 12 of 34
When asked about what they did not like about their blood collection location,
most respondents selected long wait times. However, respondents were also
displeased with the hours of operation of their location, along with the parking.
Table 7. What do you not like about this location? Please check all that apply.
Response % of
respondents
Response % of
respondents
Long wait times 42.31% Far from public transit 1.42%
Hours of operation 14.25% Not child friendly 0.82%
Parking 12.83% Waiting area 0.75%
Far from home 7.48% Registration 0.41%
Far from work 4.56% No longer in operation 0.26%
Fee for service 4.45% Not private 0.26%
Far from doctor's office 3.63% Infrequent Service 0.11%
Staff 3.44% Not aware of wait time 0.07%
Facility not clean 2.92%
When asked about their preferred hours of operation, respondents selected
times earlier in the day, the morning and early morning, as their overall
preferred hours of operation.
Table 8. What hours of operation work best for you? Please check all that apply.
Hours of
operation % of respondents
Morning 26.7%
Early morning 20.9%
Weekend 16.4%
Evening 14.7%
Early afternoon 10.7%
Late afternoon 10.6%
Page 13 of 34
When asked what is most important when choosing where to have your blood
collected, more than 70 per cent of respondents chose wait times as ‘very
important’, followed by quality of service and walk-in service. This is in
contrast with in-home service which over 50 per cent of respondents ranked as
‘not at all important’, followed by access to public transit which more than 50
per cent of respondents ranked as ‘slightly unimportant’.
Figure 3. What is most important to you when choosing where to have your
blood collected? Where 1 is very important and 5 is not at all important.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Days and hours of operation
No fee for service
Access to parking
Access to public transit
Ability to set own appointment
Walk-in service
In-home service
Quality of service
Close to home
Close to other services
Wait times
5 (not at all important)
4 (slightly unimportant)
3 (neutral)
2 (fairly important)
1 (very important)
Page 14 of 34
When asked about changes to blood collection services, respondents ranked
shorter wait times as the most important followed by more blood collection
sites and extended hours.
Figure 4. Please rate the following changes on how much you think each would
improve blood collection services.
Service experience: Almost a quarter of respondents said that blood collection
staff were friendly and courteous the last time they had their blood taken. Less
than 1 per cent of respondents indicated that staff exhibited none of the above
behaviours.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
More blood collection sites
Extended hours
Shorter wait times
5 (Not at all)
4 (Very little)
3 (Neutral)
2 (Somewhat)
1 (A lot)
Page 15 of 34
Table 9. How did the staff act towards you? Please check all that apply.
Staff behaviour
% of
respondents
Friendly/courteous 23.60%
Communicated clearly 17.10%
Were knowledgeable 14.30%
Called me by name 13.50%
Seemed to care about me 11.70%
Listened to me 10.80%
Introduced themselves to me 8.30%
None of the above 0.8%
Overall, respondents reported an average wait time of over 34 minutes for the
last time they had their blood collected. This varied between 15.9 minutes for IP
users and 40.9 for public clinic users.
Table 10. In minutes, how long did you have to wait to have your blood drawn?
Average time
(minutes)
Public 40.9
IP 15.9
Overall 34.4
Page 16 of 34
Both IP and public users thought 10-30 minutes was an acceptable wait time to
have your blood taken.
Table 11. What do you think is an acceptable wait to have your blood taken?
% of respondents
Less than
10
minutes
10-30
minutes
30
minutes-1
hour
1-2
hours
Over 2
hours
IP 26.2% 69.2% 4.3% 0.3% 0.00%
Public 8.6% 70.9% 19.5% 1.0% 0.00%
Overall 13.1% 70.5% 15.6% 0.8% 0.00%
Open-ended responses: At the end of the survey, we provided respondents with
an opportunity to discuss any issue or concern that wasn’t already addressed
on the survey. Four dominant themes emerged from the qualitative data.
Coding and graphs were completed by Novima Solutions.
Theme 1: Opinion of Survey
Happy to be Consulted: A number of respondents were pleased that their feedback was
being considered. Most also expressed an interest in receiving results of the survey.
Concern Regarding Survey Access: Several people expressed concern with access to the
survey, mentioning they only had access to it by chance (e.g. they happened to drop
into IWK).
Mailed Version of Survey Helpful to Seniors: The mailed version was helpful to senior
residents, who are less mobile and who may not utilize the internet.
Page 17 of 34
Figure 5. Survey respondents’ comments regarding survey
Theme 2: Experience with Staff
Satisfied: These respondents praised the overall attitudes of the staff, with many
complimenting the conviviality and understanding of the staff. In particular,
respondents appreciated the good humour of staff despite patrons being ill-tempered,
understanding the fear of needles, and using a gentle touch when taking the blood
sample.
“[The staff] are like a well-oiled machine, constantly on the go, very
friendly, and keeping everything moving at a steady pace; their ability
to multi-task is phenomenal.”
Concerned: Respondents had varying concerns with their experiences with staff, which
ranged from personal preferences to generalizations of staff attitudes. The most
common concerns were about staff talking and gossiping too much (and the
impression of violating privacy), roughness in taking blood/finding a vein, lack of
awareness of phobias, and an overall expression that customer service needs to
improve.
“Blood collection should be patient focused not worker focused.”
Source: Novima Solutions
Page 18 of 34
Figure 6. There were 163 respondents who commented on their experience
with blood collection staff
Theme 3: Wait times
Morning Fasting: An interest in giving prioritization to those who have fasted. This was
a particular concern for those who are diabetic.
“When fasting is required, need an express service for individuals
with diabetes and others adversely impacted by delaying meals."
Pre-booking/Pre-registration: Many suggest that new technology could be leveraged
to introduce/improve pre-registration. This also included the suggestion of showing
current wait times publically online. Having an allotted time rather than an unknown
wait time upon arrival was broadly supported.
“People live with smartphones now. Make it possible for us to book
our own appointments through an app thus having shorter wait
times.”
Source: Novima Solutions
Page 19 of 34
Extended Hours: Respondents stated that they supported extended hours (morning,
evening, or weekend) with Capital Health. Private clinics were noted for having better
access at the times that patients needed service. There was also a concern with waiting
outside for collection to open (especially in the winter).
“If blood collection is going to continue opening at 7:00am, then
perhaps the hospital (clinic) itself should be open at 6:00am.”
Exposure to Communicable Diseases: Several respondents expressed concern with
waiting in a space with other sick patients. This was most prevalent among
respondents with compromised immune systems (e.g., cancer patients).
“As a cancer patient … the Bayers Rd location is dangerous to my
health as I have to be in this public place for such a long period of
time.”
Satisfied with Wait Times: Some respondents explicitly stated that they had no
concerns with wait times and the blood collection site that they currently use.
"We feel so fortunate to have the Cobequid Health Centre close by.
The staff are excellent and very courteous. We have never had a bad
experience there. We think very highly of this facility and would not
want to go anywhere else."
More Staff: Respondents expressed a desire to see more staff in the mornings and
during peak times. Several stated they are frustrated when they see empty blood
collection booths when they have been waiting for an extended amount of time.
“Supervisors don't have enough staff assigned during the busy hours
and waste money keeping it open until 7:30pm when very few people
show up for blood work."
Page 20 of 34
General Wait Time Displeasure: Some respondents expressed a general unhappiness
with the long wait times without specifying a particular concern.
“Wait times are appalling, especially compared to other provinces.”
"Find most days I have to be there by 6 am for opening at 7 am."
Figure 7. There were 371 respondents who commented on wait times
Theme 4: Blood Collection Service Preference
Support for Independent / Private Clinics: The majority of respondents under this
category were happy with the time saving and convenience provided by private clinics
(for both travel and wait times). Due to this, there was broad acceptance that paying a
nominal fee for access to these clinics was worthwhile. Many expressed an interest in
seeing an increase in private clinic sites. Parking was also a factor: many stated they
were happy to pay a fee to have an efficient appointment than pay for hours of parking
and wait time. Despite a preference for independent clinics, some respondents stated
they had a concern with the blood testing process standards at those clinics. The St.
Source: Novima Solutions
Page 21 of 34
Margaret's Bay site was specifically highlighted as an ideally located and exceptionally
well run clinic which patients did not want to see lost.
“I believe Capital Health should embrace the help they receive from
independent collection locations.”
“I would much rather pay and be in and out in less than twenty
minutes."
Prefer Capital Health Blood Collection: These respondents expressed concerns with
independent clinics in terms of cost, quality, and efficiency (lack of ability to collect
urine samples, have x-rays, etc.). The perception that mishandling of samples or
misdiagnosis could increase due to the use of private collection services was of
primary concern amongst this group. Despite this, the perception that Capital Health
should still be administering blood services was tempered by the problems seen with
their service. Despite supporting Capital Health, service was still perceived as superior
at private clinics.
“I feel I should not have to pay for a basic blood collection service.”
“If Capital Health offered better hours and locations, I would
definitely use Capital Health's services instead.”
Theme 5: Blood Collection Service Preference
Desire mobile, home or rural service: Respondents were in strong support for the
continuation of a range of alternative service delivery options for blood services.
Mobile service delivery that brought the process to the patients’ community, at home
service (particularly for the elderly), and rural collection sites were all desired by these
respondents.
"Please add another blood collection location in Spryfield, NS."
“Tantallon [St Margarets Bay Rd] is a convenient location.”
Page 22 of 34
"Lots of people with health issues, especially chemical sensitivities,
cannot go to labs and have to have blood drawn at home."
General facilities or process-related suggestions: These comments varied widely, but
all related to the facilities in which service was delivered or the tools involved in the
process. Specifically, issues relating to parking (the cost of, or lack of it), the ticket
machine used for lining up at service locations, waiting room accommodations (lack of
seating, uncomfortable seating, lack of privacy, no entertainment available), and the
sites being too cold were all noted. In addition, several respondents expressed a desire
for better directions to facility locations, as well as better advertising of extended
hours (if in place).
“Maybe you could put a TV monitor in the room so that people
without a personal communication device would have something to
distract them while they wait."
“Would like to have cubicles as I do not like watching others.”
"The electronic number sign [...] should have audio also announcing."
Page 23 of 34
Figure 8. There were 269 respondents who commented on service preference
Source: Novima Solutions
Page 24 of 34
Advisory Committee Top Issues
Once the results were compiled and disseminated, the Advisory Committee was
brought together on April 13, 2015 to identify the top issues as determined
from the survey results. With small group discussions and a large group “card
storming” consensus-building process, priority issues were identified. To reach
quorum, absent members were asked to participate electronically to complete
and finalize the process.
Two over-arching issues were identified which informed the recommendations
formed by the Committee:
The public system does not always meet the expectations of the people it
serves.
The relationship between public and private services may impact user
experience.
After quorum was reached, the top four priorities were identified:
1. Wait times.
2. Fasting and priority (e.g., cancer care) patients impacted by extended
wait times.
3. Staffing quality and quantity (includes volumes/scheduling, customer
service, technical skills, interpersonal and communication skills).
4. Access to blood collection services (includes choice of public, private and
in-home services, hours of operation and location).
Page 25 of 34
Advisory Committee List of ‘Things to Consider’
A number of ‘things to consider’ were identified by the Advisory Committee, to
assist the PLM leaders in long-term planning of blood collection services. In an
effort to inform the citizens and stakeholders of blood collection services, some
background is provided:
What do you measure? What is success?
Measure/monitor changes for effectiveness/impact: e.g., wait times,
feedback from patients and stakeholders
PLM continues to measuring and monitor wait times, customer feedback and
error rates in order to continuously improve blood collection services. This
includes monitoring the expansion of services at each phase and any future
changes to services.
Repeat survey
PLM will continue to regularly survey clients and stakeholders of our services
to ensure they have an opportunity to have input and help us to improve.
Consider bus routes when planning locations
Location of services is key; ‘the right place at the right time’
Access to public transportation, parking and location were key considerations
when the new location in Dartmouth was selected. Location will continue to be
a consideration for long-term service planning.
Private and public services collaborate together
NSHA is committed to ongoing discussions to determine an appropriate service
model to address blood collection deficiencies and support patient care.
Online appointment booking
Page 26 of 34
Online appointment booking is being piloted at the new Woodlawn location in
Dartmouth, which opened July 13, 2015. The outcome of this new service
feature will help inform long-term planning.
Remember quality and patient safety!
PLM will continue to make decisions and plan services that are quality and
patient focused.
Mobile/travelling clinic? How do you reach the hard to reach people?
Accessibility was one of the top four issues identified by the Advisory
Committee. One of the biggest challenges that PLM faces is how to provide
blood collection services to patients who have mobility issues or live in remote
locations while meeting our fiscal target and ensuring specimen quality, patient
safety and sustainability of services. For many patients, paying a fee for this
service is not an option. More information needs to be gathered in order to
inform discussions regarding these types of service options.
Transparent information, report on indicators to the public
In addition to sharing survey responses publicly, PLM plans to post wait times
for specific locations in real time on site (currently in place), on our website and
through a mobile app. This means that patients will be able to make an
informed decision when choosing where and when to get their blood taken.
Connect with other stakeholders working/assessing community (e.g.
community health teams, primary health care)
Without question, engaging citizens and stakeholders in service planning
discussions is vital to ensure we understand the needs and challenges of our
communities so that we can provide the services they need.
Page 27 of 34
Work together
NSHA is committed to involving patients, families, citizens and stakeholders in
decision making so that each can play a meaningful role in creating a better
health care system our communities.
Make changes. Do something!
We know that changes need to occur if we want to ensure high quality,
sustainable blood collection services are provided to our patients not only in
the Central Zone, but throughout Nova Scotia. We will continue to work
together to develop a long-term plan for blood collection services.
Think provincially
Ongoing discussions and planning will occur within NSHA and the IWK to
develop a strategy that addresses blood collection deficiencies and disparities
across the zones.
Remember determinants of health
Primary health care is a comprehensive approach to health and wellness that
focuses on all of the factors that determine health across the lifespan, such as
where people live, the state of the environment, relationships with friends and
family, education and income levels, and genetics. As part of long term
planning, PLM will engage the primary health care team to draw on its expertise
and knowledge regarding health determinants.
Why is there a fee for blood collection services?
Originally a fee–for-service model was introduced to support bringing service
to locations away from the traditional hospital setting. We have heard that many
Page 28 of 34
individuals believe they are disadvantaged by this fee-for-service modal as they
are unable to pay. This issue will be discussed as part of provincial long term
planning.
NEXT STEPS
The recommendations from the Advisory committee and the outcomes of the
blood collection service expansion pilot will help support the development of a
long-term strategy for blood collection services within NSHA and the IWK. Over
the next several months, key stakeholders from across the province will meet to
discuss the issues and inform the development of a long term strategy for
blood collection services in Nova Scotia. The ultimate goal is to provide a high
quality, sustainable laboratory services that meet the needs of our all patients
and communities in Nova Scotia while ensuring patient safety.
Page 29 of 34
Appendix A: Survey
1. Where do you normally go to have your blood taken for testing?
If you go to more than one location, please choose the one you use
most often.
Bayer’s Road
Cobequid Community
Health Centre
Dartmouth General
Hospital
Eastern Shore Memorial
Hospital
Hants Community Hospital
Halifax Infirmary Site, QEII
Victoria General Site, QEII
IWK
Musquodoboit Valley Memorial
Hospital
St. Margaret’s Bay
Twin Oaks Memorial Hospital
Independent service (clinic)
Independent service (in home)
Independent service (long term care)
Other:
__________________________________
2. How often do you have your blood taken for testing?
Once a week or more
At least once a month
At least once every 6 months
At least once a year
Less than once a year
I’ve never had my blood taken before/This is the first time I’ve had my
blood taken
If you use an independent blood collection service, please answer the next two
questions. If you use only Capital Health or IWK blood collection services,
please skip the next two questions.
Page 30 of 34
In HRM and West Hants, people can choose where to have their blood collected
for testing. They can go to any of a number of community blood collection
centres operated by Capital Health and the IWK, or to an independent blood
collector for a fee. Some independent blood collectors provide in-home
collection. Capital Health and the IWK do not offer this service.
3. Have you ever had your blood taken at a Capital Health or IWK location?
Yes
No
Don’t know/Prefer not to say
4. Why don’t you have your blood taken at a location run by Capital Health
or the IWK?
Wait for public services is too long
Inconvenient
Accessibility issues (ie, can’t get
there, don’t have transportation)
Prefer the comfort of my own
home/business
Require in-home services for
health reasons
Other:
____________________________
Page 31 of 34
Please think about where you normally have your blood taken when answering
the next four questions.
5. What do you like about this location?
Please check all that apply.
Parking
Staff
Close to public transportation
Short wait times
Hours of operation
Facility is clean
Close to home
Close to doctor’s office
Close to work
Other:
_________________________
6. What do you not like about this location?
Please check all that apply.
Parking
Staff
Far from public transportation
Long wait times
Hours of operation
Facility is not clean
Far from home
Far from doctor’s office
Far from work
Other: ______________________
7. What hours of operation work best for you?
Please check all that apply.
Early morning (before 8 a.m.)
Morning (8 a.m. to noon)
Early afternoon (noon to 4 p.m.)
Late afternoon (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
Evening (after 6 p.m.)
Weekend
Page 32 of 34
8. What is most important to you when choosing where you have your blood
collected?
Where 1 is very important and 5 is not at all important.
1 2 3 4 5
Wait times Wait times
Days and hours of operation
No fee for service
Access to parking
Access to public transit
Ability to set my own appointment
Walk-in service
In-home service
Quality of service
Close to home
Close to other services (i.e. X-ray,
doctor's office, other clinics)
Other:_______________________________
Please think about the last time you had your blood taken when answering the
following.
9. How did the staff act towards you?
Please check all that apply.
Staff were friendly and courteous
Staff introduced themselves to me
Staff called me by name
Staff seemed to care about me
Staff communicated clearly
Staff listened to me
Staff were knowledgeable
None of the above
Other:
_____________________________
_
Page 33 of 34
10. In minutes, how long did you have to wait to have your blood drawn?
11. What do you think is an acceptable wait to have your blood taken?
Fewer than 10 minutes
10 to 30 minutes
30 minutes to 1 hour
1 to 2 hours
Longer than 2 hours
12. Please rate the following changes on how much you think each would
improve blood collection services.
Where 1 is improve a lot, and 5 is not at all improve.
1 2 3 4 5
More blood collection sites
Extended hours
Shorter wait times
Other:__________________________
Now, just a few questions about you so that we can understand who’s using the
service.
13. How old are you?
Under 18
18 to 24
25 to 44
45 to 64
65 or older
Page 34 of 34
14. Where do you live? (First three characters of postal code only, e.g. B3L)
15. Is there anything else you would like to add that we haven’t already
asked?
