In my most recent quest to learn more about foreign health care experiences, I embarked on the mission of getting labs drawn in Slovenia. I have hypothyroidism and, due to a few symptoms, I decided that I should have my thyroid rechecked to ensure that I was still taking an appropriate dose of medication. I had delayed pursuing this because we were moving around and I hadn’t made the effort to research options for an evaluation.Â
Last week after meeting a friend for lunch in Ljubljana, I asked if she had a recommendation of somewhere I could have an evaluation or complete labs and she provided the name of a recommended laboratory.
Not knowing how the process worked, or if I needed an appointment, I emailed the lab. They responded four minutes later in perfect English.  No appointment was required.Â
Obviously, in the United States you can’t just show up at a laboratory.  You would most likely be required to make a medical appointment, receive a referral for testing and possibly make an appointment for the labs.  Each step of this process may require waiting on hold or for an electronic response and would likely take several days, if not longer. I still had many questions about the Slovenian system, but in the spirit of curiosity, I decided to give it a shot.
Estimated Timeline:
1:20Â Â Enter laboratory and take number
1:20Â Â Number called/greeted at counter – I didn’t even sit down
1:21Â Â Received confirmation that no appointment is required and no prescription is needed
12:22Â Â Registered for blood draw
1:23Â Â Selected which labs I wanted (throwing in a few extra for good measure)
1:24  Paid for labs – a whopping 16€
1:25Â Â Directed to phlebotomy room
1:27 Â Blood draw completed
1:29Â Â Exit building
I entered the building, ordered my own labs and completed the process in less than 10 minutes. The same amount of time that it took Rich to park the car! The staff was professional, the building was clean, the quality of English rivaled many US institutions, and the cost was less than a facility fee alone at home.  Â
And – drum roll please – I received the results by secure email two and a half hours later. The entire process, from conception to completion, took less than 24 hours.Â
It is not lost on me that this has occurred at a time when I am reading about lack of access to care for my fellow Americans.  As a medical provider, I routinely served families that struggled to afford services in a country often perceived to have the best care on earth. Friends with diabetes struggle to pay for life-sustaining medications and women are prevented from independently making decisions about their reproductive health. Access to affordable, quality care should be the norm rather than a surprising, celebrated success. Nonetheless, I was thankful for this easy experience!
