A new same-day service blood-testing laboratory has opened in Paget.Located alongside a busy thoroughfare on Middle Road, the HMC Blood Lab, on the corner of Lover’s Lane, hopes to attract commuters with a convenient blood-testing site before or after work.The new lab is a part of the Hamilton Medical Centre, the same-day blood-testing service and offices of Dr JJ Soares located on Victoria Road, Hamilton.The internationally accredited laboratory opened its doors in the Paget Cleaners building in January offering any kind of blood test and accepts all patients.“Outside of the Hospital, we are the first lab in Bermuda open to the general public,” said Dr Soares, adding that customers don’t need an appointment at either location as walk-ins are welcome.Hoping to capitalise on the traffic that runs up and down Middle Road every morning and evening, HMC Blood Lab is open at 6.45am and closes at 5.30pm.“There is a huge amount of traffic on Middle Road, usually at a crawling pace,” Dr Soares said. “We thought since many blood tests are fasting and people aren’t able to eat, they can pop in on their way to work or on the way home. They’d be in and out in ten minutes.”The Hamilton and Paget labs feature state-of-the-art equipment that can fax results directly to a patient’s ordering physician and now doctors can confidentially access their patients’ results online as well.“Our results, I believe, are the fastest in Bermuda, usually within two to three hours and that’s without a rush order on them,” he said. “With the online capability, results can be received even faster, they don’t have to wait for a piece of paper.”Dr Soares has one full-time staffer at the Paget HMC Blood Lab who is trained in taking blood.“I put great emphasis on hiring experienced phlebotomists because a lot of people find blood tests to be stressful; so people can be sure the staff know what they are doing,” he said.According to Dr Soares, health insurance pays 100 percent of the cost of any blood test appropriately ordered by a physician.“Even HIP and FutureCare pay 100 percent with only a very few exceptions,” he said.The Hamilton Medical Centre’s Victoria Street location opened in 2007 and according to Dr Soares, the concept of a lab where anyone could go took awhile to catch on.“It took ages for people to catch on; it’s something new for Bermuda patients,” he said. “Blood tests were either done at their doctor’s office or at the hospital but there are more convenient options. Only now do I feel people are exploring us as an alternative option. We’re fast, painless, convenient and high-quality.”For more information on the new Paget location, call 400-8378. HMC Blood Lab is also open on Saturday from 9am to 1pm.