Blood test checklist: 5 checks before your appointment

Blood work can sound straightforward, but an incomplete requisition, the wrong collection site or a missed instruction can turn one appointment into another trip. Before leaving home, check the document, the site’s requirements, your preparation instructions and how the results will be followed up.

Confirm your requisition, location, appointment, required documents and test-specific instructions before travelling to the laboratory. (Read more)

1. Make sure you have a usable requisition

In Ontario, a licensed laboratory generally cannot perform a test without a requisition from an authorized professional. Public Montréal collection centres also ask you to bring the test requisition and your health card. Check that your name, the ordering professional and the requested tests are legible. For a specialized test or a document issued by another clinic, call the collection site to confirm that it accepts the requisition and does not require another form.

2. Do not assume you need to fast

Preparation depends on the tests ordered. Follow the written instructions on the requisition or those provided by the ordering professional and collection site. If an instruction is missing or unclear, ask before the appointment. Do not change a medication on your own; confirm any medication-related instruction with the professional responsible for your care or the collection site.

3. Confirm the location, time and documents

Rules vary by site, and some services are appointment-only. Keep the requisition, health card, booking confirmation and any instructions together. Check the exact address, opening hours and arrival rules. A brief call to the collection site can prevent an unexpected local requirement from ending the visit before the sample is taken.

4. Know who will receive and explain the results

In Ontario, laboratories send results to the professional who ordered the tests and to any other professional copied on the requisition. In Quebec, a collection centre may not provide results on site. Before testing, ask who will review the results, how you will be contacted and what to do if you do not hear back within the timeframe provided. A result in a portal does not always replace clinical interpretation.

5. Ask for targeted tests, not an unlimited panel

More tests do not automatically provide more answers. Choosing Wisely Canada recommends against routine annual screening blood tests when they are not directly indicated by a person’s risk profile. Mildly abnormal findings can create worry and additional testing without a clear benefit. Share your symptoms, health history, medications, goals and recent tests so the clinician can decide which tests are relevant.

A requisition does not fit every situation, and some tests require in-person care, a specific form or separate fees. Coverage varies by province, test and eligibility criteria. For severe chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, uncontrolled bleeding or another emergency, call 911. For non-urgent nurse advice in Ontario or Quebec, call 811.