Quest Diagnostics

Worst experience in medicine ever. First, you can’t call any of the local offices to check on your order or make an appointment. You have to call the corporate office, which I did, to confirm my order had been received. They said yes it was, please make an appointment anywhere you want. OK, I worked through the awkward online scheduling system to make an appointment. Arrived on time only to have a very rude woman named Rona tell me that my order was not received. I explained how the corporate office (the only place you can call) said itwas but she insisted not, and was easily the meanest person I have ever encountered in a medical setting. She insisted that Quest did not have local offices — um, I said, I believe I am standing in one. I then called the corporate office AGAIN, waited on hold for 20 minutes, and lo! There’s my order. Forget it, I said. I’ll take my business elsewhere. Quest is terrible and I will never go again.

Quick and easy. The attendant was named Rona (or something like that), and she worked pretty fast, but not ‘impolite’ fast.
I was a walk-​in at 1pm on a Wednesday, there was only 1 guy ahead of me. Everything including wait time took 20 minutes.
Drawing of blood was painless. Maybe because I told her I’m exceptionally scared of needles. Was told results will be emailed in ~3 days.

I got worried when I read all the reviews, but everything went so smoothly.
I had a 9:45 appointment, I arrived at 9:30 to find just one other person waiting. 5 minutes later I was taken back, and my blood was drawn in 2 – 3 minutes, and I was out of there in under 10 minutes, before 9:45!
The nurse was friendly and efficient. I have no complaints.
Though days can vary, you will likely be fine if you just go a bit after the morning rush.
I would go to this lab again for sure.

I cannot understand the 3 star rating! I try to go to this lab whenever possible. I think they are the best, mostly bc of Rona who runs the place all on her own. I just wrote an email AND a survey on quest website about her, which I’ll copy below. I almost don’t want to write this Unilocal review bc I don’t want the lineups to go up (there is rarely a long wait here). But, I want to be sure quest keeps this location open, so here I am Unilocaling it!
«I just want to share direct feedback, hoping it will get to a supervisor or manager, about what a great experience I have had over and over again with Rona at this location. I filled out the survey and have copied my personal comments below. I hope she will receive a direct commendation or have this review published in the quest newsletter. She is a star, hang on to her!
«I always try to go this patient service center. Rona is amazing. She is efficient, intelligent, kind, patient, accurate, and very fast. I often come to her with complicated, non-​routine testing requested by my out of state doctor, who gives general test names (not quest lab codes) and Rona is able to find the correct Quest code/​test for me. I have had several other quest centers get the tests wrong, so I learned the hard way that just bc the doctor writes down the test name does not mean the proper test gets done! Therefore I always try to go to Rona and the 450 Sutter patient center.
One day I went in with an appointment close to closing time. I had LOT of complicated and important tests. I thought I had helped her out by getting cpt codes from the drs office for the tests. Then I found out that these are only good for insurance, and do not help her at all, she needs the QUEST «test codes». So she stayed overtime with me for over an hour figuring these out! And longer, of course, getting the tests processed. I was so grateful bc I had just gotten a positive pregnancy test and bec of several health conditions of mine (clotting, autoimmune, other) I am at risk for repeated miscarriages, and these were tests that were essential to be done ASAP to help me keep this pregnancy (I’ve lost 4 before being diagnosed.) Rona came through for me again and at personal sacrifice to herself. Of course, the complicated tests were accurately coded and run and the dr was happy and said the results suited her needs.
There is rarely a wait — I rarely even make an appt. Mostly, I think, bc Rona is so efficient and fast. She is super professional and athough she is always working the place alone she never gets flustered or behind. I go to quest locations all over northern california and Rona and this location is far and away the best I’ve ever experienced. For example, sometimes I have to go to the 490 Post location and if the person there is working alone, they are usually behind and acting overwhelmed, or there is an intern and so things take longer, or there is simply what seems like social chatting going on in the hallway while people wait in the waiting room or exam room. There is NONE of that with Rona at VXB 450 Sutter — she is ON her GAME!
I recommend this location to everyone I talk to.
Kudos to Rona and 450 Sutter quest location!»

How exciting do you want your lab to be anyway???
Plain and simple.. .
I made my appointment online. That was easy.
I arrived at 8am — they open at 8am and that was the time the door was opened.
I checked in with Rona — she was pleasant and check in was about 5 minutes
I sat in the chair — the room and chair were clean and tidy
Rona drew a few vials of blood. She was a star in MY book, as there was almost no feeling when the needle went in. No jiggling of her hand during the draw. Perfect in my book.
I was out of there within 12 – 15 minutes total time.

All quest diagnostics are ridiculously slow. Only one person working for the whole lab in all branches. Waits a

Do not go here.
You could get septicemia and die.
There was almost no wait time but you don’t want to go here if
Rona is going to be your phlebotomist.
Rona cleaned the puncture area with an alcohol pad and the wiped the area dry with a non-​sterile gauze pad. She then repalpated the area without cleaning her gloves with alcohol.
Also, it hurt.

These folks are great. Due to a health condition, I have to get my blood drawn a lot. I don’t ever book an appointment — I just show up shortly after they open (between 8 and 8:30 am) and am usually out of there within 30 minutes tops.
They often have phlebotomy students drawing blood, but always ask your permission first. In case you’re worried, I’ve only ever had one student miss my vein and need to poke me more than once. The rest have been fantastic! Very professional.
Getting your blood drawn isn’t supposed to ever be a fun experience, but this QD office makes it quick, efficient, and as painless as possible.

This is the ABSOLUTE WORST Quest Diagnostics I have ever been to. My appointment was for 8:40 and I showed up a few minutes early. Half an hour later, I was still waiting to be called and there were at least 7 people still ahead of me. I had to leave because I needed to get to work.
Why bother having an appointment system when you can’t meet it anyway. So disrespectful of your clients time. I will tell ALL my friends, family and co-​workers to NEVER come to this branch. What an AWFUL experience.
Don’t bother making an appointment. There’s no use having it here.
I don’t even want to give it a star but that’s the only way I can convey this message to all.
Do not go here.

This is as pleasant of an experience that I can imagine one having when having their blood drawn.
I was due for routine blood work and my doctor told me that I should fast for 12 hours and could go to any Quest Diagnostics. I woke up some mornings after that, decided that that day was the day, and set up an appointment for later that afternoon on their website.
I walked there, rode the elevator up in a nice business building, and was greeted kindly and checked in as soon as I walked in. A few minutes after filling out a form, I was called in and a nice lady drew blood from me. I was probably in there for all of 10 – 15 minutes.
Easy peasy.

Because I have a standing order to fulfill, I make my way to Quest. Depending on the day, your wait time could be 10 minutes or 45 minutes.
There is usually only one person on staff that does both the intake and the blood draw and he’s a super nice guy, but the only complaint I have is the wait time.
There was once a time when I came here and there was a russian woman who drew my blood. NOT only did she not draw my blood incorrectly, there was blood going into the needle and even a drop coming out the other end (How does that work exactly?) but it was painful as hell! The usual «Don’t worry… you’ll only feel a prick» was TOTAL BS! I get my blood drawn every month and it’s still not a perfected art.
But the guy who does it all does a better job and is super nice and knows what he’s doing. I guess if you need your blood drawn, it doesn’t really matter where you go. You’re going to get pricked.