Blood tests

Description of the service

The purpose of a blood test is to obtain information on the subject’s health or to diagnose diseases. It is also used to monitor the effectiveness of medicines and treatment. Did you know that nearly 70 per cent of doctors’ diagnoses are based on laboratory test data? Proper preparations for blood sample collection are important. See the FAQs below and book an appointment for blood sample collection.

Preparing for blood tests

• General
  • Follow the preparation instructions given by your doctor. If you need more information, please call our customer advice service at 03 3117 4445.
  • Some laboratory examinations require fasting.
  • Some laboratory examinations require sample collection at a certain time of day.
  • Avoid alcohol, caffeinated drinks and smoking on the day before sample collection and on the morning of the sample collection.
  • You can take your own medicines normally in the morning of the sample collection day unless your doctor has instructed you otherwise. See also the pharmaceutical ingredient definitions section.

  Sample collection

  • Do not strain yourself before the test.
  • Please arrive just before the scheduled time of your appointment.
  • Tell the nurse if blood tests make you feel unwell. A blood test can also be taken lying down.
  • Press on the injection site for five minutes after the sample has been taken.
• Remember

  Thyroid function tests: 

  • Book an appointment for a thyroid function test before 2 p.m.
  • If you are taking thyroid medication, do not take it until after sample collection unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

  Therapeutic drug monitoring:

  • If you have been referred to a therapeutic drug monitoring test, only take the medicine in question after the test.
• Examinations that require fasting

  How to prepare for examinations that require fasting:

  On the day before the examination: 

  • do not drink alcohol
  • do not eat anything or drink anything but water for 10–14 hours prior to the test
  • please note that fasting for too long (more than 14 hours) can affect the results. 

  On the morning of the examination: 

  • do not smoke
  • you may have water and any medication in accordance with instructions from your doctor.

  Did you know? A small f in front of the test abbreviation means fasting.

Results

• How do I get the results?

  When the results are ready, they are transferred electronically to the healthcare unit that sent the laboratory referral. Follow the instructions given to you by your doctor or nurse. Fimlab’s customer advice service does not disclose test results.

  The results are available in the MyKanta service on the kanta.fi website.

  You can also receive the results of the most common laboratory examinations on your mobile telephone or another mobile device by downloading the Fimlab mobile app. The service is currently available in Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme and Central Finland.

  Read more: Fimlab-mobiilisovellus

• How soon can I get my results?

  The completion of the results depends on the examination. Our customer advice service provides more detailed examination-specific information.

• Who will interpret my results?

  The doctor treating you is always responsible for interpreting the results.