I had fasted over 12 hours the evening/night/early morning so that I can take my blood test at this DLS Waipahu where one parks in the Waipahu Festival Center parking lot.
Stupid me, come the morning of the blood test I woke up and went to watch some tv as it was just a little past 6am (the lab opens at 6:30am). I must have been in a stupor as I proceeded to fill a glass of milk and opened a package of soda crackers. While eating my second cracker and already having downed half a glass of milk, I realized that my blood test was for within a few minutes and why did I eat and drink prior?
Know the instructions say to NOT drink anything except water or eat anything, but I had to ask. I called at about 6:25am (to find out if anyone would answer/pick up), 6:35am and 6:46am. On that last call, I decided to finally leave a voicemail slowly giving details and contact number to return my call to find out if by chance I still can get my blood test that day.
No call back for the rest of the day... what a disappointment, guess there is no dedicated receptionist/person to return phone calls.
I go there early Saturday morning and reach there at opening time of 6:30am. I saw a crowd of people waiting outside for their number to be called (as the last time I was here they were practicing covid prevention, so there was limited seats inside the lobby area). I went to the vertical post that contains the numbers located just outside fronting the entry door. I am #27... #27 already I say to myself and it's just opening??? Reality hits and so I wait outside standing up while many others already are leaning against the front walls of businesses as they wait for their number to be called. While outside, one of the technicians would come out and call out a number and so people pick up on the hint that since one party was called, they should be ready to have an available seat once another party departs form the lab, right? Or so we thought... well what everyone outside thought.
After about 35 minutes waiting outside another tech came out to call three numbers and said there were plenty of seats (well, it is not like we go to the lab often but perhaps months in between depending when our doctors require us to take a blood test --- and I along with all the others thought and remembered that months ago, there still were not a lot of seating available inside due to covid distancing protocols.
Since the number they called was close to my #27, I then decided to walk in and saw there were three seats empty.
Got my number called and showed my i.d. and insurance card at the front, and the technician pointed to me that I was to go to booth #1.
Before the blood test, I told her that I called yesterday before and after they opened... no one answered and so after a few calls not being picked up, I told her I left a voice mail but no one returned my call !
I was met with sincerity plus apology by the technician. She took the time to listen to me by stopping what she was doing and hearing me out as a client. Wow, this person actually was listening and NOT trying to give me any excuses.
This made the rest of my stay there as she took my blood test satisfied that my point was taken and a true apology provided.
This office has two things they need to do to provide better customer service:
1) return all phone calls on that day during regular business hours,
2) provide a sign just outside entryway OR some type of rolling LED number indicator that will visually show those waiting outside what number they are on so that those near the number to be called can be seated inside.
I have to give this past Saturday's blood test visit two stars... it was going to be worse, but due to the sincerity of the technician in booth #1, I increased it by one star to two stars.
By the way, DLS' own website is outdated as it says as of March 2022, masks are still required. However upon going into the office, persons waiting for their blood test were not wearing any masks (except for those who wanted to) though the staff were still wearing the masks. read more