Instead of waiting to roll up your sleeve for blood work at a busy lab, ask for a house call instead.

Charlette Glines will bring her blood draw kit and come to your home or office.

The owner of LabCall Mobile Phlebotomy Services has  20 years’ experience and certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Glines recognized a need for concierge blood draw services performed in the comfort of home, work or wherever is most convenient for the patient.

It can be challenging and stressful to get into a lab for a blood draw, especially if you don’t have a car, have limited mobility, are short on time, or are immunocompromised. Having to fast, take time off work or coordinate child care can further complicate the matter.

“It seemed like something people needed,” Glines said. “My grandma needed it; my sister needed it. I would do my grandma’s (blood draws) before I would go to work sometimes.”

Over the years, Glines has worked in the local hospitals as well as other lab service providers.

“You get a lot of experience,” she said. “When I saw people coming in in wheelchairs, it sparked the question, ‘Why do they need to come to me when I can come to them?’”

A year ago, she decided to take the leap and give the concept a chance to prove itself.

“It’s been a dream of mine to open my own business,” Glines said, adding that the realization she could spin her own business off a skill she had cultivated for two decades was an exciting prospect.

She said that other area labs used to offer in-home blood draw services but they have discontinued the service.

“I feel like I’m the person who had to do it, who was meant to do it,” she said.

She is the only mobile phlebotomist in Tri-Cities. Seattle and Yakima have mobile phlebotomists.

How it works

Glines requires anyone seeking her services to book an appointment in advance online. Payment is collected at the time of booking.

Her standard fee is $65 for labs drawn between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Early morning draws from 5-7 a.m. cost $85. Short notice calls within 48 hours of labs needing to be drawn run $95, and “stat” calls at her soonest availability run $120.

LabCall does not bill insurance.

“The cost of service is a convenience fee for saving them a trip,” she said.

When booking an appointment, LabCall will take insurance details which Glines includes with the patients’ blood samples when she drops them off at the lab of their choice. Doctors can fax lab orders to her directly or patients can upload a copy when booking an appointment.

LabCall serves all ages, from newborn babies to senior citizens.

LabCall is especially great for those with standing orders because patients can set up recurring appointments, helping to ensure labs are drawn punctually, she said.

Steve White, owner of Pacific Clinic in Kennewick, has been thrilled to partner with LabCall to fulfill the needs of the clinic’s patients.

After acquiring Pacific Clinic, White and his team expanded the business to include primary care services.

“We are expanding into more home medical care,” he said. “... We’re really going into the senior market at home.”

White said many clients can’t make it in because they don’t have a ride or they have medical issues, so Pacific Clinic’s team builds programs for them to do at home.

“The world of phlebotomy, it’s not something we really wanted to go into business in and do ourselves, but then we found Charlette and it’s just really helped us. Charlette’s going to be there at 8 a.m., take your blood and drop it off at the lab – you can’t beat it.”

White also has made use of LabCall services for his own parents.

“Both my mom and dad were going through a combination of hospital and home care. Dad passed away in February, but before that (Charlette) was around to help. Mom was (flown) out the same day Dad passed away, and we’ve been fighting to keep Mom healthy. It’s so hard with care homes; there are delays with getting labs, where in the hospital you can get labs immediately,” White said.

LabCall has filled that gap.

He said it’s not just for homebound seniors either. “I’ve had some people who say, ‘I’m going to do that, too. I hate going to the lab.’ So, it’s healthy people starting to use, too.”

White appreciates Glines’ experience. “There are some people who pull blood and it’s scary, and others, like Charlette, you don’t even realize did it,” he said.

She must be doing something right.

“Business is starting to pick up,” Glines said. “My goal is to get a car and have someone in each city eventually.”

LabCall Mobile Phlebotomy Services: 509-567-5873; mylabcall.com.