New Outpatient Lab hours effective April 1

Northern Inyo Healthcare District (NIHD) is pleased to announce that effective April 1 we will initiate new outpatient laboratory hours. The intention is to improve the overall patient experience and schedule efficiency for NIHD Laboratory Services.

Starting April 1, NIHD will only serve patients with prescheduled lab appointments between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, and serve only patients with prescheduled appointments on Saturday. This adjustment allows NIHD’s lab team to accommodate appointment patients who may be fasting or require early morning blood draws before their workday begins. It also meets the needs of inpatients and other healthcare areas requiring early morning services from the outpatient laboratory.

Walk-in patients are welcome Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Walk-in service is unavailable on Saturdays. NIHD reminds walk-in patients to allocate sufficient time for their visits and remember they will be seen as the existing schedule allows.

“Scheduling an outpatient lab appointment at NIHD is simple and convenient,” said Allison Partridge, RN MSN, Chief Operations Officer-Chief Nursing Officer of NIHD. “Patients can call (760) 873-5811 anytime to schedule an appointment. Those with appointments tell us they experience reduced wait times and better service because the appointments allow our staff to be better prepared for each patient’s specific test.”

To recap the new outpatient laboratory hours:

• Lab Appointments: Available from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7:50 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. on Saturday. Call (760) 873-5811 to schedule an appointment.
• Walk-in Hours: Available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-in patients visiting between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays will be seen as the existing schedule allows.
• Pre-Surgical COVID Test Hours: Daily test hours will remain unchanged, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Monday through Friday.

“NIHD remains committed to providing easily accessible, quality healthcare services to everyone in our communities,” added Partridge. “These new hours reflect our dedication to improving patient care and convenience.”