GPs still worried about Labtests problems, Auckland survey shows

Auckland GPs have given a fresh thumbs-down to Labtests in a survey by the College of General Practitioners.

But after the release of preliminary results, Labtests last night outlined a series of measures being done or planned, to improve its community laboratory testing service.

Early results from the survey show GPs still have widespread concerns about Labtests, six weeks after it began operating.

"Initial results show that three out of four respondents have significant or serious concerns ... ," said college president Dr Harry Pert, a Rotorua GP.

He said the survey had been emailed to 1145 members of the college's Auckland faculty.

By Tuesday, 394 had replied and responses would be accepted until 5pm on Friday.

An Otago University researcher was analysing the responses and the full findings would be published.

Labtests, under contract to Auckland's three district health boards, has replaced Diagnostic Medlab as the community laboratory service provider.

Following a flood of complaints about Labtests, the boards last week sent in seven of their employees to take control of safety and quality at Labtests last week.

As well, Labtests' Australian owner, Healthscope, sent senior managers from Australia to take over the day-to-day running of the Auckland company.

Healthscope's chief medical director, Dr Michael Coglin, said last night he did not know of the survey results, but went on to explain improvements in its service.

"We are satisfied that significant service improvements have occurred and that this process will continue ..."

In a letter to doctors, he acknowledges problems at Labtests or matters of concern to referring doctors, including home visits, turnaround times, reporting of critically abnormal results and phlebotomist training and outlines planned remedies.

"We are continuing to work closely with the Auckland medical community and would like once again to emphasise our commitment to continuing to improve the Labtests service," the letter says.

It also says about a fifth of Labtests' phlebotomists - who take blood for tests - are relatively new to their roles and have done comprehensive training.

"In response to issues raised, we have boosted support for our phlebotomists with the appointment of additional trainers who are circulating through collection centres."

The letter indicates Labtests has also agreed to some medical centres taking blood in "special circumstances of patient access or unique cultural needs", after initially intending to have its own staff do all the work.

Dr Peter Didsbury, chairman of a leading Auckland GP group, ProCare, said the feedback it was receiving from its members reflected the initial findings of the college survey, but he expected Labtests' service would continue to improve after its bad start.

"We had a meeting with Labtests [yesterday]. We agreed with them on seven areas we wish to continue to work with them to continue to improve service delivery, mainly around getting results back to practitioners to enhance patient safety - results getting back to the right doctor, urgent results being reported urgently and abnormal results being reported in a timely way."