UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central offering drive-thru lab services

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — People with a doctor’s referral for lab services can now have complete lab blood draws done in a drive-thru at UCHealth Memorial Hospital. Those services include cholesterol checks, blood panels for pre-surgery, liver enzyme tests, newborn screenings and other necessary tests.

The drive-thru lab is not offering testing for COVID-19. Although, a spokesperson with UCHealth said it’s possible antibody blood tests for the virus may be done there in the future.

UCHealth is still offering COVID-19 testing at another drive-thru on Parkside Drive, one block east of Memorial Park.

Patients using the drive-thru lab services at Memorial Central should drive onto the campus using Childrens View, just east of the hospital’s main Boulder Street entrance. Signs and employees will guide patients through the process and will bring them back out onto Boulder Street. 

Patients are asked to wear a mask and to be on the passenger side of the car, if possible; however the spokesperson said the lab can easily accommodate patients needing to drive themselves.

The drive-thru laboratory aims to reduce anxiety for patients who need to come to the hospital while providing a convenient option for lab services.

“We have been in uncharted territory and have needed to think outside the box,” Karen Flynn, Manager of Lab Services at UCHealth Memorial Hospital said in a statement. “I am thrilled that we can offer this service to our patients and staff in a safe and efficient way.”

The hours for the laboratory tent are: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Other locations where patients can receive indoor lab services are:

--UCHealth Laboratory – Printers Park, 175 S. Union Blvd., 6 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; Saturdays: 7 a.m.-noon

--UCHealth laboratory – Briargate, 8890 N. Union Blvd., 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; Saturdays: 7 a.m.-noon

--UCHealth Laboratory – Pikes Peak Regional Hospital, 16420 W. US Highway 24, Woodland Park, 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday

Due to visitor restrictions, there are currently no lab services available at UCHealth Memorial Hospital North and UCHealth Grandview Hospital.