'We expected hiccups but not to this extent'

David Chan, pictured tending to patient Ian Mooney, says Labtests is making multiple mistakes and its service is substandard. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

One Auckland doctor says the changeover to Labtests has been a nightmare for his practice from the start.

Dr David Chan, of the Family Health Care Medical Centre in Highland Park, Manukau City, has been a GP for nearly 20 years.

In response to the Herald's questionnaire, Dr Chan wrote: "If the poor service continues, I will consider giving up general practice in Auckland."

He realised from day one that the handover to Labtests was not working because staff were complaining.

"It was a frustrating process. They couldn't access results and no one was answering their calls."

Diagnostic Medlab had a clinic in the same building as Dr Chan's practice. Now his patients have to travel 2-3 km for tests.

He says the change has been especially difficult for his elderly patients and he has had problems arranging house calls.

"We fax a request through, but we hear they [Labtests staff] haven't visited. This is dangerous for some patients."

Dr Chan says the frustration of dealing with Labtests has led to the practice closing its doors on Saturdays.

"They are offering a substandard service. We expected hiccups, but not to this extent."

He says Labtests is making multiple mistakes with patient details.

Also, the results coming through are not compatible with Diagnostic Medlab's.

"In the past, you could graph and compare, but the computer system doesn't allow for direct comparisons."

This makes it difficult to get a strong timeline of results for tests like blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

"In an ideal world we would have two labs or have DML continue, but Auckland is stuck with Labtests."