Home Visits

Pathlab offers a free Home Visit (domiciliary) service for those who meet the government-determined eligibility criteria. The service covers accessible areas within a certain distance from our collection centres, with discretion of distance from each site considered.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Patients must be bed ridden.
  • Patients (or the parent/caregiver of minor patients) must have impaired mobility - mental or physical.
  • Patients must have no support person to provide transport to collection centre.
  • Financial hardship is not considered acceptable criteria for a Home Visit.

In exceptional circumstances, and only by mutual agreement will the eligibility criteria be waived.

A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required for a home visit booking, with the exception of urgent requests. Best endeavours will be made to accommodate the individual needs of the patients, i.e. day, and time of day, however this cannot be guaranteed. Morning priority will be given to patients who are required to fast or withhold medication. If an urgent home visit is required, the time frame will be confirmed after consultation with the referring practitioner.

Requests for a home visit must be made by the referring practitioner or authorised representative (e.g. Senior Nurse) – not the patient. Request forms for home visits must be emailed (as with other request forms not given directly to patients), to requestforms@pathlab.co.nz, stipulating ‘HOME VISIT’ in the subject line. A home visit request cannot be booked if Pathlab has not received the request form. Apologies but we are no longer able to accept telephone bookings.

The following information must be included request forms:

  • Complete patient details: NHI, Full name, Date of Birth and gender
  • Complete patient address
  • Contact telephone numbers for patient and referrer
  • Tests required
  • Frequency of testing
  • Fasting or withholding medication, and time patient normally takes medication
  • Relevant Clinical details or reason home visit service is required
  • Any additional information that would affect the home visit e.g. patient can’t speak English

If the home visit is unable to be scheduled on the requested date, the referring practitioner will be contacted.

Discontinuation of Home Visits:

  • Pathlab will notify the referring practitioner if there is evidence that the patient no longer meets the criteria.
  • If the patient is not home at the time of visit – the referring practitioner will be notified, and arrangements can be made for the patient to present to nearest collection centre.
  • The visit will not proceed if the patient cannot be positively identified by the phlebotomist.

Rest Homes:

  • Rest Homes are allocated specific days for visits, any request outside of these schedules must be confirmed as clinically urgent by the requestor.
  • Best endeavours are made to accommodate request for visits however this cannot be guaranteed.
  • A staff member from the rest home must be available to support the phlebotomist to assist with identification of the patient.

Please note: Pathlab staff are not permitted to attend to COVID positive patients.

As you will appreciate, our staff must be assured of a safe environment, so we enlist your help to ensure H&S obligations are met and our staff are safe whilst providing home visits to your patients.

We are most grateful for your assistance with our Home Visit requirements.