Laboratory Services at qathet General Hospital

Powell River Airport planned shutdown: April 8 to June 9, 2024

From April 8 to June 9, 2024, the Powell River Airport is undergoing a planned shutdown to make upgrades to the runway.

During this time, patient safety, care and continuity of services remain our top priority. Due to the temporary closure, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is implementing several operational adjustments regarding qathet General Hospital (qGH) patient transfers, transportation of referred-out lab specimens, and staff and medical staff travel.

VCH is working with BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) to add additional helicopter services to transport those patients who would normally travel by fixed-wing air ambulance. High priority patients will continue to be transported by BCEHS helicopter.

Patients who are medically stable and returning to the qathet Region from other hospitals will return by helicopter or ground transport, as per usual processes. If inclement weather prevents air travel in or out of Powell River, VCH will follow BCEHS’ established protocol.

As Pacific Coastal Air will be unable to fly into Powell River during this time, Harbour Air is adding float plane flights to Vancouver Harbour and YVR South Terminal seven days a week.

While qGH Lab Services will continue to complete the majority of patient specimen testing onsite, lab samples that require testing in the Lower Mainland will be sent via ground courier during this time. Routine blood products from Canadian blood services will continue to be shipped by ground transport, and urgent requests will be transported on Harbour Air, as needed.

Thank you for your understanding and patience during this time.

Laboratory services at qathet General Hospital provides a full range of services such as blood collection, colon cancer screening tests and more to patients within Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and other healthcare facilities across the province.

How to access Laboratory Services at qathet General Hospital

Get a lab requisition form
You will need a laboratory requisition for any test at a VCH laboratory. Have your primary health care provider complete a lab requisition form.

Note for referring health professionals:

Referrals are accepted by fax or patient walk-in. Urgent referrals are accepted by phone. Many offices do not accept direct calls from patients after referral to book their own appointments.

Required information/investigations for all referrals:
- LM labs approved requisition
- Ordering practitioner's full name, contact information and MSP number.
- Laboratory requisitions must be filled out with all MoH-required information, or patients will not be accepted.
For full details on Laboratory Services for referring health professionals, visit https://one.vch.ca/dept-project/VCH-Regional-Laboratory-Medicine (VCH, PHC or PHSA staff login required).
Book an appointment online

Sign up or log into the Outpatient Laboratory Online Booking System and pick this location or your preferred laboratory location and appointment date and time. You can use your online account from any device to book, change or cancel any appointment.

If you're a first time user of the booking system, you'll be asked to create an account. You only have to create an account once.

Questions about the online system? Review the Laboratory Online Booking FAQs for support.

Not all tests are available at all laboratory sites at all times; some tests require an appointment or fasting before specimen collection.
Prepare for your test
You will need to prepare for the test differently depending on the type of test you're receiving. Review instructions on how to prepare for a test before your visit. Instructions available include:
- How to prepare for a urine test
- How to collect a stool sample
- How to collect a urine sample
Check with your doctor or the laboratory you're visiting with any specific questions about sample collection.
At the Laboratory

Double-check your demographic information on the laboratory requisition to ensure it is correct. If the information is not correct, please contact your health care provider.

On the day of your appointment, bring the laboratory requisition, along with a piece of government-issued identification, such as the BC Services Card, to the laboratory.

Read the At the Laboratory FAQs for full details on what to expect at the laboratory.
Get your test results

There are multiple ways to get your test results, depending on the type of test you have. Turnaround times for results depend on the type of test you have.

Get results online with MyCareCompass

Many results for outpatient tests performed at VCH laboratories are available online through the fast and secure MyCareCompass system. Patients who are registered at MyCareCompass can get results electronically.

MyCareCompass

Self-monitoring

You may be authorized to self-monitor for specific results, such as INR. Self-monitoring requires that your doctor authorize the laboratory to release your results to you by phone. Please speak to the staff at your laboratory about how to arrange this.

Getting results by mail

Please speak to the staff at your laboratory for instructions on how to receive your results by mail.

Request to access patient's file

If you are a caregiver, to request information from your child's medical file, print the release of information form. Once complete, fax or mail the form to the Hospital where you are making the request (instructions and a contact list are included with the release of information form).

Please note that due to the volume of requests received, it may take four weeks or more to process release of information. For privacy reasons, DO NOT send personal medical information by email.

Appointments are available Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Drop-ins are available 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Parking & Transportation

Free parking is available.

Getting here by ferry

qathet General Hospital is two ferry rides away from the City of Vancouver.

Take the Langdale ferry from the Horseshoe Bay Terminal. Ferry schedules can be found at: http://bcferries.com. Drive up the Sunshine Coast along Hwy 101 from Langdale to Earl's Cove. Take the Saltery Bay ferry from Earl's Cove.

From the Saltery Bay ferry terminal, travel along Hwy 101 for approximately 20 km until you reach a "Welcome to Powell River" sign. Continue inside the city limits until you reach a street with a right-hand lane and a store/gas station called Pacific Point Market. At the corner on your right, turn right. You are now on Joyce Avenue. Follow Joyce Avenue through four sets of stoplights. Approximately 1 km past the fourth light, you will approach the hospital on the right.

Getting here by air

Contact Pacific Coastal Airlines by e-mail at www.pacific-coastal.com or by telephone at 1-800-663-2872 for schedules of flights from Vancouver.

qathet General Hospital

qathet General Hospital (formerly Powell River General Hospital) is a 33-bed facility providing services that include surgery, endoscopy, ICU, obstetrics, in-patient psychiatry, oncology, emergency and diagnostic services.