LabCorp

When the Brown & Toland Medical Group switched their laboratory services from CPMC to LabCorp several years ago I experimented with several of LabCorp’s San Francisco locations. This LabCorp office on Post Street near Divisadero Street was maybe the third location I tried. There are two LabCorp locations along Post Street about 20 blocks apart.
This location seems to get much fewer patients than the downtown location. I believe for that reason the waits that I have experienced here have always been rather short. Most of the time I make an appointment through the LabCorp website, but during my two most recent visits I did not and still experienced little to no waiting. I’m certain in my case part of that success comes from visiting during non-​peak hours usually around 2 PM or so since on most days I don’t start work until 4 PM.
The staff here is friendly and professional, and they always answer any questions I might have satisfactorily. I’ve never had any problem with the blood draws. As recommended by my doctors during the minimum 12 hours of fasting prior to the draw I consume a lot of water making my veins much easier to locate. I’ve never had any of their technicians have to poke into my arm more than once to draw blood, and once that needle is in I’m always fascinated by how quickly they can collect several vials of blood.
Over the years I’ve used this lab maybe 5 to 6 times so this location is now my go-​to whenever my doctors order lab work to be done. I’ve posted a photo of their front door only because Unilocal has this location simply listed as «Lab».

Made appt for 11am, showed up, they say they go to lunch at exactly 11am. Wasted my entire morning getting here. I would avoid labcorp if i can but they are practically a monopoly, so just avoid 11am appt for drug screen or avoid this location I guess. Didn’t help that the lady gave me a huge attitude instead of apologizing. Awful people.

Just awful. I’d give them no stars if that was an option. I needed to get drug screened for my job and scheduled an appointment for 11am on Monday. I show up at 10:58 and see there’s 3 different doors with different signs for drug screens. I’m confused so I go to suite 105 because that’s where it says to go on my reservation. I try to open the door but it’s locked. I try all 3 doors and they’re locked. Someone walks out of 105 and I rush in there and tell the receptionist I have an appointment at 11. By now it’s 11:02 and she says” look at the time, you’re late and we’re closed”. I’m sorry. So you let me schedule an appointment at 11 even though you close at 11. Please explain this logic to me. The receptionist was very rude and I showed her my reservation stated that they closed at 11:30. But no she whips out a new paper that say 11. So why don’t you guys post that online!?! Just awful.

I would give this minus one if I could. I made an appt. today online for 11:30am today. I got there and a sign said closed from11am to 1pm.

It was fast n quick! Which I like! :)
looks a little ghetto but is still clean! Thank Goshhh

Arrived on time for my 10:30am appt, few retirees hanging out waiting. Didn’t get ‘done’ till 11am; they didn’t notice I had made an appointment at first — but totally nice ladies, done it million times, The place isn’t «fancy» but at least there’s free wifi and they do what they do very competently. I was done in 5mins and have no complaints.

OK, first thing is first. Make an appointment and you’ll have a very pleasant experience. Just as your trip to the DMV will be much more pleasant if you take a minute to make an appointment.
I made one for 9:00am, walked in at 8:59, checked in at the front desk, and was promptly shown directly to the nurse to have blood drawn at 9:00am. I was having a whole battery of blood tests done so they had to draw quite a bit of blood and it was painless and fast.
If you show up during their «rush hour» between opening and 9am without an appointment, all bets are off. You’ve been warned.

the receptionist was polite and efficient — the Phlebotomist was a pro quick and ez/​np — total time — 20 min tops/​it may depend on what time you go however/

Your doctor tells you to come here you wait. You get here and wait. They call your number and you wait. Just a waiting game here.
And the worst part is they still get it wrong and make people come back to do the right test.

Worst blood draw ever!!! Never coming here again!!! Enough said! Blood draw was for my child. They told me they were gonna call me if we needed to retake it…5 days later, no call. I called them and they said oops we didn’t call you. What!!! Now I have to subject my child to another blood draw but I’m not going back to this labcorp. Ughhh! I’m so furious right now.

In and out 15 minutes with appointment, Nice polite staff, paking in the back with entrance on Geary Street. Just let the attendant know you there for Labcorp and get the stamp for validation.

Hands-​down if you need a Lab to go to, this is it. Matthew and Sally are both excellent (I really don’t like needles, but they are quick about getting that needle in/​out as pain-​free as possible). Matthew is the most pleasant person you will ever meet and a complete professional. I would guess he’s a med-​school student with his knowledge. Sally is also very pleasant and knows all her patients– one brought her a cake or pie while I was there! Tells you a lot about how good they are.
I had to come in for a dreaded 3-​hour glucose test BUT the office was air-​conditioned, wi-​fi enabled (so I could work) and quiet (for the most part, except when patients were flooding in, but even then, they got people in/​out quickly and I watched them graciously handle the most annoying, patience-​trying clients.) The office is extremely clean. The regulars seem to know this team well and for good reason. Thanks to Matthew & Sally for turning a 3-​hour process into something enjoyable!
(P.S.- I’ve also gone to Stonestown several times and though the team there are nice, I did experience a painful vein-​finding blood draw, hot waiting room (no A/​C), long wait periods and some difficulty with language communication. I don’t get upset because all the labs are trying to service a lot of disgruntled people, but just in comparison, this one’s as enjoyable as you can make a blood draw be.)

I do all my prenatal blood work here (close to home) and the best tip is– SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT! it will help you to avoid waiting. They always push you ahead.
I schedule my appointments and I come on time and it usually doesn’t take more than… 15 min top?
i also have problem with my veins (too small) and technicians were very accommodating and used the «baby needle» (upon my request) and didn’t argue with me (which happens a lot when I request it in other places)
all in all — it is not that I love my blood being taken, but it is a good service and it is fast.

It’s a major deal for me any time I get my blood drawn due to my fine veins and psychological issues with needles. Therefore, I avoid blood work when I can. I had always requested for Sally at LabCorp (located on Post street @ Divisadero) because my friend had recommended her highly, and indeed she was great.
Earlier this week, I stopped by the office to make sure Sally would be working today for my blood work. She said yes, and suggested that I make an appointment online to avoid waiting. I did not make the appointment because I was not sure what time I could show up this morning. In any event, when I arrived at the office today only to find Sally was out sick; she had been sick for a couple of days this week. Yikes. I was not sure if I should wait until Sally returns to work next week, or risk having an awful blood-​drawing experience today. I told the woman at the front that I needed time to make up my mind what I wanted to do because I really was afraid of needles (something which I cannot explain.) This woman was understanding, which was comforting. She said she wouldn’t let anyone draw her blood, so she draws her own, as well as from children…
While waiting to make my decision, Mathew came to me offering to check my veins and assuring he wouldn’t draw my blood. He might have remembered me from a few days ago when I stopped by to talk to Sally about my blood order.
The woman at the desk later also came to check my veins. She and Mathew both agreed which arm to draw the blood. They also knew to use a finer needle on me, something which I had made sure would be available when I was there days before. I asked the woman if she could draw my blood; she said yes. I added that because women are gentle. After getting me ready, she placed a warm gel pad on my arm to keep the vein swell up (?) and stepped away.
By this time, I was getting more nervous knowing the woman would come right back. I don’t know exactly what happened, but Mathew came around to draw my blood. I said no, I want HER, because men are rough. (yes, blood drawing is a big deal to me.) The woman then came to me to assure me that Mathew was gentle; she stood by me, held my hand, told me to squeeze her hand if that would help. She kept talking to me while I was squeezing her hand, until Mathew was done drawing my blood. I could not believe how gentle Mathew was, for the sensation I felt was so minimal. I also could not believe how kind and understanding these two individuals were to me. I later learned the woman’s name was Corine (sp?) after she left the office.
I arrived at the office at 11:15 am; I don’t know if Corine or Mathew would have that much time for me if the office was filled with patients. Regardless, I appreciate both of them very much. Thank you!!! You two were absolute wonderful and awesome.

This crew is a well oiled machine. I have been seeing Sally and Mary for years, and finally they are getting the help they need! Joel and Matt were new faces that made me smile and really set me at ease with my blood draw. They were all trading tasks and really working seemlessly for everyone in the waiting room. I was impressed to the point of writing a web review, something I never do! Joel drew my blood the last time and it only hurt a little and I am a hard stick. Usually it takes a couple of tries. Anyway, I’m glad Mary and Sally finally have the back up they deserve and I don’t have to wait as long as I did. Keep it up!

As a client requirement to clear drug testing, I was directed to LabCorp. I went on-​line, although 800-​number is available too, and made an appointment for that afternoon.
Showing up 5 minutes prior to my appointment, I was skeptical of having a good experience since there were at least 15 people sitting in the small waiting room and did not look very pleased. So, I walked up to the window and noticed the sign-​up sheet. I signed-​in and checked the ‘have appointment’ box. Weird that my entry was the only one that check that column, but I waited hopelessly… for five minutes.
When the lab technician showed up to check the list, he immediately called my name, walked me in to take the test and I was all set within 10 minutes. A completely smooth experience. Too bad for all those folks not having an appointment set, so I’d categorize this as «appointment only».

I have come here a number of times with elderly friends, and I am always touched by the loving care that the women who work in this labcorp facility show to their patients. It is first come — first served. In the past 10 years I have experienced waits of between 5 minutes and 30 minutes, usually it is around 20 minutes.
This compares well with what I have experienced at larger facilities in the city, for example UCSF Parnassus can see waits of between 10 minutes to 1.5 hours, .usually it is around a half hour or so.
Lab Corp opens at 8 AM. I usually try to arrive at 8:45 AM to miss the early rush and beat the 9 AM crowd. I have never been here at lunchtime so can not comment on how long it takes at that time.

try to get Sally
I’ve been using this lab a LOT in the last 10 years or so — it happens to be a couple of blocks from my house — i have spent VERY long times waiting, and every once in a while, have spent NO time waiting — when there’s no appointments, it’s simply first come first served…
Sally’s been there forever and has managed to extract blood from my apparently invisible veins — the other techs are less openly friendly but i’ve never had a problem — it’s not like you’re getting a facial or a massage!

It’s not particularly easy for me to give a lab a five-​star rating because I have some psychological issues with having my blood drawn, going back to when I was 13. Back when I was a kid, I was in the hospital for a week, awaiting a biopsy to determine if I had Osteomyelitis. I was scared, and I was having my blood drawn several times a day. It culminated in one final meeting with a night nurse who promptly hit a nerve (arm flailing) and then missed the vein two more times. Granted, my veins were small and were practically retreating from all the blood that had been drawn that week, but even then I couldn’t believe how careless the guy was. Twenty years later, when someone has to draw my blood, I get very pale, sweat profusely, and come close to passing out – every time.
The last time I went to Labcorp, I warned them of my psychological issues and asked to lie down on the hospital bed/​table. The woman was so incredibly sweet to me. She asked me to think about Mexico or Hawaii and hanging out in the sun on the beach. She was quick and delicate, and I barely noticed that she was doing anything. Suddenly, it was over, and I was fine. I didn’t even feel faint. I’ve been going to this lab for 13 years (by the way, this is the first review I’ve ever written on Unilocal), and it will be my first choice every time.
Also, a note about getting the results: I never had a problem with getting them. I generally get a call from my doctor within a few days.

Ouch! Let me tell you: when Big Olga plants the needle in your vein with the delicacy of a butcher who flunked vet school, you’d better hang on tight to the armchair! My arm felt bruised all day, dammit! I told a friend the story — same thing happened to him too.
Now about the lab itself… They told me it would take 3 days for the results to be faxed to my doctor. Ten days later, they still weren’t there so I call. «We don’t have the results, we don’t know where is your blood, we sent it to San Diego but because of the fires, we can’t contact anybody down there», they say. Well, that’s not an excuse: it’s Tuesday and the fires and the evacuations did not start until Sunday. They had an entire week to do the test.
It’s Thursday now and apparently they found my results back. Big sigh of relief: I was afraid they’d tell me I had won a free trip back to Olga!

I dont think that getting lab tests will ever be high on my list of ways to start my morning, but this place definitely made it an easy experience. I was in and out in ten minutes, the entire process was painless, and the people working there were professional and informative. Would definitely recommend if you need labs done (parking is available in the back on geary street).