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Prepare For Test

1

Instructions

Read instructions carefully prior booking an appointment. There are certain types of tests for which fasting or other forms of preparation in advance are necessary to ensure results are clinically relevant.

2

Find a Patient Service Center

3

Bring your Requisition form and Valid Health Card

4

Visit Patient Cervice Center

Questions and Answers

I don’t have a printed copy of my requisition, but I have a soft copy. How can I send it to Alpha Labs?

Alpha Labs now accepts electronic requisitions by email to support patients who visit our Patient Service Centres without a printed copy. If you have a digital version of your requisition, you may email it to mailmyREQON@alphalabs.ca upon your arrival. 

Important Guidelines:

  • Send one requisition per email
  • Use the patient’s full name as the email subject line
  • Ensure that all patient and physician details are accurate
  • Ensure the requisition is clear, legible and fully completed by the physician
  • This inbox is monitored for same-day visits only. Please do not send requisitions days in advance

Disclaimer: If you choose to send your lab requisition by email, please note that standard email is not always a fully secure method of communication and may carry some privacy risks, such as unintended access or delays in delivery. While Alpha Laboratories takes reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal health information within our systems, the security of information transmitted via standard email cannot be guaranteed. By emailing your requisition, you acknowledge and accept these risks. We encourage patients to use secure email services, safeguard their documents appropriately, and avoid sending personal health information from public or unsecured networks. Email communication is intended for administrative purposes only and should not be used for urgent or emergency matters.


To fax a requisition, please use the following fax numbers:

Fax Number: 416 449 5974

If you have any questions about sending requisitions, call our customer care center at 416-449-2166 or email patient@alphalabs.ca


Who pays for my tests?

In Ontario, the majority of routine laboratory tests ordered by your doctor are covered under Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). However, there are certain tests that are not insured through OHIP and such tests must be paid for by the patient.

What should I do with the specimens that I have been asked to collect at home?

You may be provided with containers for collection of certain specimens at home (e.g. urine or stool). Please follow the complete instructions available on Patient Specimen Collection Instructions, and label the specimen containers with your first and last name, health card number and date and time of collection. When you deliver the specimens to our Patient Service Centre, please wait for our lab staff to verify all required information on the specimens and laboratory requisition to ensure that the sample is properly identified before you leave.

Do I need to make an appointment for my laboratory tests?

Most tests do not require an appointment for a blood collection, urine sample collection or Electrocardiogram (ECG).

Tests that do require an appointment include:

  • Holter Monitoring
  • Lactose Tolerance tests
  • Xylose Tolerance tests

If your doctor has ordered the above tests, please use the Patient Service Centre Locator to select the Patient Service Centre that is most convenient for you and phone the location to schedule an appointment.

How long will it take for my doctor to receive my test results?

How soon your doctor receives your test results depends on the type of tests requested. Routine tests are reported to the referring doctor within 24-48 hours, while certain more specialized tests and bacterial cultures require a much longer processing time. Abnormal or clinically significant results are communicated to your doctor as soon as possible. Please call your doctor’s office to confirm the availability of your test results prior to booking your next appointment.

If I am anxious about having my blood taken should I advise you?

If you experience anxiety when having their blood drawn, please do let us in know in advance. Our skilled and experienced staff will do their best to help you to remain as relaxed and comfortable as possible.

How do I find the nearest Patient Service Centre?

To locate Alpha’s Patient Service Centres click on Patient Service Centre Locator for a complete listing, including addresses, phone numbers, hours of operation, Google map and directions.

Please note that days and hours of operation vary by location.

How long will the specimen collection process take?

We recognize that your time is valuable, so we try to keep wait times as short as possible. Early mornings are usually high volume times so your wait time may be a little longer. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as our dedicated staff devotes their full attention to each and every patient. An average visit takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes. Some tests (e.g. oral glucose tolerance test) require that you remain in the Patient Service centre for a longer period to complete blood draws at specific timed intervals.

What do I need to bring with me when I go to the Patient Service Centre for my test?

You will need to bring a completed laboratory test requisition which has been signed by your doctor, and your health insurance card. If you were asked by your doctor to collect any specimen(s) at home, then also bring those with you at the time of your visit.

How do I fast?

Prior to your test, you must not have anything to eat, drink or chew, for a minimum of 12 hours prior to the blood collection. This includes coffee, juice, tea, alcohol, chewing gum, candy or lozenge. You may drink water as usual. Note that there must be absolutely no additives to the water. Please check with your doctor about any medications that you are taking, and do not discontinue your medications unless authorized to do so by your doctor.

What do I need to bring with me when I go to the Patient Service Centre for my test?

You will need to bring a completed laboratory test requisition which has been signed by your doctor, and your health insurance card. If you were asked by your doctor to collect any specimen(s) at home, then also bring those with you at the time of your visit.

Why do I need to fast before my test?

Food is broken down into simpler forms (glucose) by the digestive tract and is released into the bloodstream, which then circulates and helps provide energy to the body cells. Therefore, the amount of glucose present in the blood sample after having a large meal will be higher than any other time of the day. Likewise, blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels measured before a meal are lower than the reading taken after a meal. In brief, consuming food before blood collection gives inaccurate results, because the test outcomes are influenced by the type of food and the size of the serving.

Do I need to fast before my test?

Although not all blood tests call for fasting prior to blood collection, there are certain types of tests for which fasting is necessary to ensure results are clinically relevant. Types of blood tests that do require fasting include: glucose test, glucose tolerance test (GTT), Lactose and Xylose tolerance tests, cholesterol test, HDL/LDL cholesterol, Triglycerides , Lipoprotein phenotyping and homocysteine.

For further information pertaining to fasting requirements and other preparation, please refer to Patient Preparation Instructions and Test Requirement Manual, or call our Client Services Department at: (416) 449-2166 and press 1 .