How Long Do Blood Test Results Take?

How to get a pathology referral at Our Sage

You can request a pathology referral here for $45.

Standard Blood Test Results

For most routine blood tests, such as complete blood count (CBC), cholesterol levels, or blood glucose, you can expect results within 24 to 48 hours. These tests are commonly processed in pathology labs, and the turnaround is usually quite quick unless there’s a high demand for services.

Specialised or Complex Tests

More complex tests, such as hormonal panels or tests requiring specialised analysis (e.g., genetic testing or autoimmune markers), may take longer. Results from these tests can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on the nature of the test and whether the sample needs to be sent to a specialised lab.

Urgent Blood Tests

In cases of urgent medical needs, such as in hospital settings or emergency situations, blood test results can be expedited. Doctors often receive results within a few hours for critical tests that help diagnose serious conditions like heart attacks, infections, or internal bleeding. In such instances, laboratories prioritise the processing of these samples.

Testing at Different Locations

If you’ve done your blood test at a GP’s clinic or a dedicated pathology center, the location where your test is processed can also affect the timeframe. Many pathology services in Australia, process routine tests within a day, but more specialised tests might take longer as they may need to be sent to a central or larger laboratory.

How Will You Receive Results?

Typically, your doctor will receive the results electronically and contact you for a follow-up. In some cases, you may receive your results directly via a patient portal or phone call, especially for more routine tests.

At Our Sage the doctors can receive the results via mail,fax, electronically or via certain programs such as Health Link. If the results are abnormal or require further action, you will get a follow up message to book in to speak to a GP about your results. If they are urgent results the GP will call you.

When you request a pathology referral from a GP at Our Sage you can also nominate a copy of your results to be sent to your regular GP aswell.

Common Factors That Impact Test Result Timelines

Several variables can influence how quickly your blood test results come back:

*Type of Test: Routine versus specialised tests can significantly affect the wait time.

*Lab Workload: Pathology clinics with a high volume of samples might take longer to process.

*Testing Location: Larger cities like Sydney typically have faster processing times compared to regional areas.

*Doctor’s Instructions: If your doctor marks the test as urgent, the results will be prioritised.

Can You Speed Up the Process?

If you’re concerned about the time it’s taking to receive your blood test result contact your doctor or the pathology lab.

In Australia, blood test results are generally available within 1 to 3 days for standard tests, though it can take longer for specialised assessments. If you’re unsure or anxious about the waiting period, don’t hesitate to ask your GP or the pathology clinic for a clearer timeline you can always call the pathology clinic and ask for an update on where the results are at.

At Our Sage you can contact us through the contact form here

Frequently Asked Questions about Blood Results

How long for blood test results?

In the above blog we go through different timeframes for different circumstances of blood tests. However for most routine blood tests, such as complete blood count (CBC), cholesterol levels, or blood glucose, you can expect results within 24 to 48 hours.

How long does a referral last?

Usually pathology referrals are valid for 3 months.

How quickly will the doctor call with results

At Our Sage the doctor will review and mark your results as checked once they recieve them. You will then recieve a text message advising you that we have your results and you will need to book in for a consult to go through them.

If the results are urgent the doctor will contact you over the phone.

You can also request that a copy of your results go to your regular GP as well so that you can access your results there.