In-home Blood Collection Services
Continuing Care
Pathology & Laboratory Services

A patient’s physician or nurse practitioner will initiate the request for this service through the Nova Scotia Health Pathology and Laboratory Medicine In-Home Blood Collection referral process.

Eligible Criteria:
Patients (12 years old or older) eligible to be referred for this service are as follows:
  • Housebound and unable to go out of the home; or
  • Where not providing blood collection in the home would cause undue hardship to the patient. The hardship could be physical, medical, financial or other. 
  • Patients who fit the above criteria and collection is by venipuncture. Continue to refer all collections via lines, catheters, ports, etc. to Continuing Care.
Referral Process:
The Nova Scotia In-Home Blood Collection Referral process requires: 
  • Patients meet the eligibility criteria for in home collection
  • Submission of a completed In-Home Blood Collection Referral form 
  • Submission of a completed laboratory requisition,
  • Indication on the laboratory requisition of the timeframe requested for testing and if recurrent collections are required.
 
Note: The referral form is in the process of being added to the Electronic Medical Record (EMRs) systems and communication will be sent when available early 2021. 
 
Ambulatory patients requiring blood collection can access Nova Scotia Health outpatient blood collection clinics by booking an appointment with their local blood collection service. Information about Nova Scotia Health Blood Collection clinics can be found on the website: http://www.nshealth.ca/blood-collection.

For health care providers