HSE pays full cost of blood tests for doctors

THE Health Service Executive is spending hundreds of millions of euro every year testing blood samples for GPs who make no financial contribution towards the service but who still charge patients for the tests.

And while GPs don’t pay the HSE anything for blood testing, the HSE provides all equipment doctors require for blood-sampling, and doctors are not charged.

The HSE has confirmed the total cost of hospital laboratory services, including to GPs, was €370 million in 2008 — about 16 times the budget of a small hospital for a whole year.

Doctors charge an average of €40 for a consultation but patients without medical cards are also expected to pay an additional cost to have blood taken. GPs are charging patients between €20 and €60 for a blood test while some doctors also charge patients again when they return for their results.

“The total cost of Hospital Laboratory Services (Primary Care, Hospital Tests) was €370m in 2008,” the HSE confirmed. No figures for 2009 or 2010 have been provided by the HSE.

“GPs are not currently required to make a contribution towards this service other than the cost arising for the practice in relation to the time taken by the doctor or nurse in taking the blood, such costs being covered by the practice income,” the HSE confirmed.

The HSE also revealed it provides all the equipment GPs require to take blood without a charge, including syringes and vials, as well as sample collection and delivery services to GPs.

In relation to collection and delivery of samples, the HSE said: “There are different arrangements throughout the country for the collection of samples. Laboratory results are sent electronically to practices which have the technical capability to receive them in this format. For those who are not technically compliant, the results are sent manually.”

Labour general election candidate for Clare, Michael McNamara, believes the Comptroller and Auditor General & should look into the issue and fees paid to the medical and legal professions should be reviewed.

“I can understand GPs charging a consultation fee but clearly it is wrong if they also charge for blood testing on top of that, if the cost (of the testing) is actually discharged by the HSE.

“Fees being paid to the medical profession, no more than fees to the legal profession of which I am a member, will have to be reviewed in order to achieve the greatest possible efficiencies across all sectors that are now required.

“I would ask the Comptroller and Auditor General to look at this and see if money is being wasted at the same time as a recruitment embargo remains in force across the public sector. It would certainly seem inordinate that kind of money is being spent on this service.”

HSE Health Forum member, Clare Councillor Brian Meaney, said: “What is at question here, is whether the charge levied by GPs to take blood is necessary and fair? The €370m spent by the HSE on blood testing is equivalent to 16 times the budget for a small hospital for a whole year. Given the challenges facing the very existence of hospitals like Ennis General, it is important the money collected by GPs for blood sampling and analysis reflects the actual cost incurred by the GP.”