GREAT FALLS — Montana winters can be brutal, making hitting the road for even simple tasks a risky proposition. That’s just one reason why a Great Falls laboratory is making a routine medical procedure as simple as possible for their clients.
While most people don’t enjoy having their blood drawn, Alluvion Health’s Adlera Lab has made the process a little less stressful. For just over a year, they’ve offered mobile blood draws.
“I think it’s a huge service that we offer to Great Falls and the surrounding community,” said Aldera Lab director Cory Reeves.
“These people don’t have to bring family members out of their care facilities,” said Aldera Lab courier Dale Sivumaki. “For example for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, that really can aggravate their day. So, we’ve got the ability to go there, draw that patient’s blood and bring it back in for analysis. They don’t have to have their day interrupted.”
Sivumaki says Alluvion appears to be the only lab offering the service with any regularity. He estimates they do an average of three to four mobile draws a day, mostly at elderly care facilities.
The draws are open to anyone, patients don’t have to be affiliated with Alluvion.
Medicare and Medicare Advantage customers will have the cost covered. For everyone else, the charge is minimal.
“If you want us to come out to the convenience of your place of residence, for $22 we’ll come out, do your blood draw and you never have to leave your living room,” said Reeves. “We’ll bring the specimen back here to the lab and take care of it.
Right now, the service is limited to Great Falls and a five-mile radius, but considering the positive reviews, that area could expand.
“Because we’re still relatively in our infancy in this program, there’s a lot of people who don’t know we’re doing this yet, but when they find out, I’m being told this is a great service,” said Sivumaki.
“To help our elderly, our special needs, in inclement weather times or whether it's just your average Joe who just has a broken foot but needs lab draws, we can go to his house or his nursing home or wherever and take care of them,” said Reeves.
And with health concerns at top of mind this time of year, Sivumaki says patient safety remains at the forefront.
“I mask up every time I go into a home or a facility,” said Sivumaki. “I think it’s part of doing our part to keep these people healthy.”
For more information, call 406-454-1211.
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