Low-cost lab tradition ends

Remember the blood draw program at Coulee Medical Center every year during “National Hospital Week?”

It’s history.

Hospital officials said this week that the blood draw, which can give patients an indication of their health, actually runs counter to the law that governs public hospital districts.

That was the message from hospital administrator Scott Graham.

“The simple truth is, it has been brought to our attention that state regulations prohibit any sort of reduced fee gifting of services,” CMC’s Chief Executive Officer Scott Graham said in a prepared statement last week.

The lab work week, which annually coincides with hospital week, has been held for eight years, and offered a wide range of relatively expensive lab tests for a nominal fee.

“We believe this law applied to the reduced fee lab test we have offered in the past and in order to be compliant, regrettably, we must terminate this event,” Graham said.

“We are always willing to work with our uninsured patients to make sure they get the services they need,” Graham continued. “Those patients needing help to pay for their lab services should contact one of our financial counselors immediately.”

In past years, whether you were insured or not, patients paid a small fee for the service, and often scheduled appointments with providers afterwards to learn what the lab tests meant.

In place of lab week, CMC will sponsor a wellness-oriented health fair later in the year, officials stated.

The wellness fair will include information about services offered at the medical center, as well as wider community resources focused on the health and wellness of the community.