LIFELABS
FOUNDATIONS FOR OUR FUTURE
2016
14
BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES
Our commitment to Canadians runs deeper than providing vital health information. Through our network of 355
Patient Service Centres and our 16 processing laboratories, we provide the most comprehensive pan-provincial
testing access across B.C. and Ontario.
Pioneering Best Practices in the
Autism Spectrum Disorder Community
Medical tests can be stressful, but for those
with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) the
fear associated with blood tests can be
particularly pronounced. In 2015, we were
approached by members of the autism
community to provide a more positive blood
collection experience for those with ASD.
We knew we needed to act so that these
patients and their families could receive
important diagnostic testing and information
without the stress of sedation or delay.
After extensive consultation with renowned
experts and ASD families, we launched
two impactful initiatives: our Serving
Customers with Autism program and
supporting the Pacific Autism Family
Centre Foundation in B.C.
Developed in partnership with the Autism
Research Centre at Holland Bloorview
Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, LifeLabs’
Serving Customers with Autism program
is the first program of its kind in Canada.
Informed by physicians, research, families
and the Pacific Autism Family Centre,
we have created the first specific and
comprehensive guidelines for specimen
collection for patients with ASD. These
guidelines, combined with the effective
training of staff, increase the likelihood of
successful specimen collection and can
reduce potential delays in treatment and
extra costs to our healthcare system.
LifeLabs’ Serving Customers with Autism
program is fully tailored to the individual.
Our Client Services Managers consult with
families to understand individual needs.
Flexible appointment times, orientation
sessions, visual supports to reduce anxiety,
tools and toys to engage and comfort, and
fast and reliable results are hallmarks of this
innovative program. All of our phlebotomists
in Ontario and B.C. have been trained on
these new protocols and we began offering
this specialized service across all of our
facilities in the fall of 2016.
To complement these new protocols, we
have also opened a special collection centre
and lab in the newly-opened Pacific Autism
Family Centre (PAFC) in Richmond, B.C.
This state-of-the-art facility brings together
resources for research, assessment and
treatment to support individuals with ASD
and their families.
“Having the
tools to prepare
my son for the
procedure and
knowing that
the LifeLabs
employees have
training and
understand how
to work with
someone on
the spectrum
has made a big
difference in
reducing anxiety
for my son, and
therefore myself,
about having
blood work done.”
Dennet Pritchard, Parent
