FARMINGTON

San Juan Medical Center to resume outpatient lab draw services at Medical Office Building

Matt Hollinshead, mhollinshead@daily-times.com

FARMINGTON — After seven long months, those who reside on Farmington’s west side will again be able to go to San Juan Regional Medical Center’s Medical Office Building for outpatient laboratory draw center services starting Monday.

SJRMC public relations coordinator Laura Werbner said the draw center — located at 407 South Schwartz Avenue on the southwest side of town — has been closed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outpatient lab draw services, including blood testing, have been done instead at the Outpatient Diagnostic Center — located at 2300 E. 30th St. on the north side of Farmington — during the pandemic.

“We know that people need options. It helps reduce wait time… We feel now’s a safe time to reopen that MOB station,” Werbner said. “There’s a lot of people who need to get labs done.”

Werbner said allowing lab draw services to resume at the Medical Office Building will reduce the burden of lab testing at the Outpatient Diagnostic Center and make it easier for west side residents to get medical care.

“We see a need in our community to have it open,” Werbner said. “It really is a convent option, and it kind of helps speed up the process.”

Werbner said patients have been feeling stressed about going out for medical care during the pandemic. Werbner also said the more SJRMC can adequately serve them, the better.

“I think people really want to stay in areas they’re familiar with, not travel as much,” Werbner said.

Werbner said the Medical Office Building will have an employee at the door to conduct temperature checks and make sure anyone who has an appointment is accounted for. 

The MOB draw station hours will be on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Patients are advised to come to their appointments alone as part of practicing social distancing.

If a patient requires assistance going into the building, only one person is allowed to accompany them.

For more information, call 505-609-6160 or go online at https://www.sanjuanregional.com/lab.

Matt Hollinshead covers sports for the Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4577 and on Twitter at @MattH_717.

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