Staffing shortages have forced several diagnostic laboratories in British Columbia to either temporarily close or reduce hours of operation.
LifeLabs released the names and locations of the 16 affected BC Patient Service Centres (PSCs) on their website on Jan. 12. The closures or reductions in hours are due to the spread of Omicron and related protocols which have resulted in severe employee impacts, LifeLabs explained.
Despite the shortages, LifeLabs also stated the reduction in service is a temporary measure.
“We will continue to monitor the situation over the next two weeks and provide a further update at that time.
“To maintain service in the community, we will be re-deploying affected staff (from those sites) to nearby, central locations. Customers and healthcare providers will be re-directed to those nearby locations,” LifeLabs’ statement reads.
Of the 16 PSCs affected, 11 will be closed while the remaining five will have their hours reduced.
- PSC affected by adjusted hours
- Abbotsford (A8 33498 Bevan Avenue, Abbotsford)
- Cedar Hill (1590 Cedar Hill Cross Road, Victoria)
- Kerrisdale (2061 W. 42nd Avenue, Vancouver)
- Burrard (208-1200 Burrard Street, Vancouver)
- Colwood (582 Goldstream, Victoria)
- PSC affected by temporary closures
- Surrey City Centre (#103 9639 137A Street, Surrey)
- Nicola (202-321 Nicola Street, Kamloops)
- Pitt Meadows (102-12195 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows)
- Crestwood (107-6051 Gilbert Road, Richmond)
- Yarrow (650 Fort Street, Victoria)
- Hillside (1641 Hillside, Victoria)
- Aberdeen (1150-4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond)
- Main and Keefer (204-180 Keefer Street, Vancouver)
- Broadway (220-943 W. Broadway, Vancouver)
- Lynn Valley (305-1200 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver)
- Laurel (104-888 W. 8th Avenue, Vancouver)
