It Pays To Make an Appointment
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (128034)
Gainesville, Florida
February 6, 2026 11:38am CST
One of my goals for this year is to take care of and manage my health better, including routine and regular doctor appointments. So my first order of business in January was to see my primary care doctor for my semi-annual checkup. And of course, as part of that, he wanted to see bloodwork to make sure all my numbers are where they need to be. So last week I made an appointment with the lab to get blood drawn this morning. The lab opens at 6:00am, so I made an appointment at 7:00am. I figured that with the frigid cold weather and the early appointment time that there wouldn't be a lot of people waiting to get blood drawn.
I received a confirmation text this morning that instructed my to click a link to check in once I arrived. When I parked and was walking up to the lab entrance, I clicked the link and completed the check-in process.
Literally, as soon as I opened the door, the nurse was standing there calling my name. I was like, "Wow, now that's some quick service!" thinking that there was no one else in the waiting room at the lab. But as I glanced around the waiting room, I probably saw about 50 people sitting in chairs. The nurse said to me in a louder than normal voice, "It pays to have an appointment." I see what she was doing there; she wanted to make sure everyone in the waiting room knew that making an appointment was the way to go, instead of just being a walk-in customer.
I can't believe so many people would show up to a lab to get bloodwork done without having an appointment. It's super easy to do, and took me less than a few minutes to make the appointment.
How about you? In your experiences of getting lab or bloodwork done, did you make an appointment or did you just walk in and wait to be seen?
16 people like this
16 responses
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
6 Feb
I hope all is well! I definitely prefer to make an appointment.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Feb
I am well, and I hope you are too!
I always try to make appointments if that is an option. Waiting as a walk-in can take forever.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (56919)
•
6 Feb
With the son, we always have appointments. That being said, there have been times when they send him to the lab from an appointment, this is all in the same huge complex so we can get there fairly easily. But those unexpected visits sometime take a long time. It's good you made an appointment.
I hope your blood work proves to be perfectly normal, that is if anyone can be perfectly normal! 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Feb
@MarieCoyle I’m addicted to cake and I can’t quit without intervention! Somebody sign me up for CA (Cakes Anonymous).
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Feb
@MarieCoyle If I started reading ingredient labels, I would die of starvation from not ever being able to eat anything ever again! LOL. I'd rather not know what I'm ingesting that is slowly killing me.
I just got all my lab work results back, and everything came back great! I'm really surprised, considering how bad my eating habits are.
My doctor said I'm in great shape for an 89 year old man!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (56919)
•
9 Feb
@moffittjc
Well....if it's a homemade cake, you know what's in it. But if it's a storebought one, read the ingredient list. You may discover that you don't want to eat it after you do that. Once I started reading labels, I finally realized I had no idea there were so many chemical additives, sugars, and excess salt in so many foods.
If I discover a cakes anonymous group, I will be submitting your name!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Feb
I’ve always wondered why my doctors office doesn’t draw blood themselves; it would be so much more convenient. But I can’t complain too much, the lab is right across the street from my doctor.
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (24417)
• Palisade, Colorado
6 Feb
@moffittjcThat's convenient. I used to go to a doctor's office that had an x-ray machine there. That was handy for me.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Feb
@velvet53 I remember when I was a child just about all services could be handled right inside your doctor's office. Bloodwork, urinalysis, x-rays, etc. Nowadays, everything is specialized, and it seem you have to bounce all over town to get medical services done.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (171410)
• United States
7 Feb
Here, it doesn't matter if you make an appointment or not, you will be waiting to see the nurse who takes your blood. Sometimes the wait is just a couple of minutes and sometimes I've waited half an hour before my name is called.
Seeing a doctor is different and you're definitely better off making an appointment for that or they'll pawn you off on a nurse practitioner, which can be okay, depending on what you need but I'd rather see my doctor instead of somebody who will have to go find the doctor and explain what is happening before they can tell you anything or do anything to help you.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (171410)
• United States
7 Feb
@moffittjc I have to tell them every time I want to see my doctor or they pawn me off on the NP.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Feb
@DaddyEvil I’m sure that a pretty common thing at many medical facilities.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
It hasn’t happened often, but there’s been a few times where I’ve had to wait for 30-45 minutes even with an appointment before getting called back for bloodwork. But thankfully it doesn’t happen often.
I don’t think my primary care physician office has any NPs; I always see my doctor whenever I have an appointment.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
From all the comments, that seems to be the case with many myLotters. We’re not so lucky here, people can wait for an hour or more if they don’t have an appointment.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Feb
@DianneN Have you ever had to visit a doctor or medical faculty while in Florida?
1 person likes this
@DianneN (252708)
• United States
7 Feb
@moffittjc I was talking about Connecticut. Thankfully, we haven’t needed a test in Florida and hope we never do.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (50842)
• Staten Island, New York
6 Feb
I don’t get why people would not make an appointment beforehand unless it was an emergency. I haven’t been to a physician in who knows how long. And I don’t really have a physician these days. My insurance automatically gave me some Asian doctor. Don’t get why they do that. It should be up to me to choose a doc. They shouldn’t just automatically give me a random person.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Feb
I’ve never heard of an insurance company picking a doctor for the policy holder. That seems strange! Have you checked to see if you could switch to another doctor?
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Feb
@lovebuglena I don't know anything about Medicaid, so it is possible that they do assign doctors if you don't choose one. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield through my employer.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (50842)
• Staten Island, New York
6 Feb
@moffittjc And when that doctor wasn’t in the network anymore they automatically assigned me a different doctor. Also without asking me. I got a new insurance card with that doctor’s name. I could probably switch to a different doctor but I would first have to figure out who I want to be my physician. I have the free insurance through Medicaid so perhaps that’s why a doc is assigned to me automatically. But I have no idea.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (168413)
• United States
7 Feb
Our local lab is so small it is never busy. VA lab is walk in, take a number for my husband. I do not have to wait, but when he goes there it can be a long wait.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
I’m surprised the VA doesn’t allow people to make appointments.
@snowy22315 (205591)
• United States
7 Feb
I think I just had it done the same day as the doctor's appointment. They have a lab onsite.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
Nice. My doctors office doesn’t do lab work on site, but it’s okay because the lab is right across the street from my doctor.
@toniganzon (75750)
• Philippines
6 Feb
Always make an appointment. That has always been our practice. Even for a doctors appointment. My sister, a doctor, would always make the call for an appointment for us. Because even with an appointment, there's still a possibility of waiting for awhile when there are too many patients. But when it's my sister who calls, she knew majority of the doctors and we would be prioritized. No more waiting. All we have coo do it to show up on time.
Same when we do lab works coz she also happens to be a licensed med tech as that was her pre med.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (75750)
• Philippines
8 Feb
@moffittjc Same here. Goes for everything. I have never really experienced a very long queue. Fortunately to have lots of connections.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
I always like to make appointments for all my doctor and lab visits because I hate waiting and sitting for long periods of time.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (84721)
• United States
7 Feb
I don’t think I’ve ever had an unscheduled lab appointment. I have had an instance or two where I’ve gone to the lab to make an appointment while I was at the hospital and they took me right then instead of making me make an appointment.
When I have to get bloodwork done for my primary care doctor’s appointment I go to a different clinic because the one my doctor works out of has a lab that doesn’t know how to do things. I’d swear Moe, Curly, and Larry are operating it. 
The other place? In and out in five minutes.
The other place? In and out in five minutes.1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
8 Feb
Lucky you, for having a place you can get in and out of quickly!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (132404)
• Marion, Ohio
6 Feb
I never make an appointment for it. The one I go to is pretty empty most of the time.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
You’re so lucky. I wish my lab was like that, but it is always packed. I’m sure it’s because it’s right next to the hospital.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (132404)
• Marion, Ohio
7 Feb
@moffittjc The one I use is right beside my doctors office
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Feb
@wolfgirl569 Nice! Mine is the same way. It’s right across the street from my doctor’s office.
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (12878)
• United States
7 Feb
I do my labs when I drive down to Oregon and the lab is at the hospital across from my primary. I've never had to wait for more than five minutes so never make an appt to do them. I have a standing order, so maybe after I check in, that can be why?. It is a small town where the hospital is.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
You’re lucky that it’s never a long wait. Unfortunately, it’s not the case here; people can wait for an hour or more if they don’t have appointments.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
13 Feb
@noni1959 I wonder if people either don't know they can make appointments, or don't know how to use technology?
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (12878)
• United States
10 Feb
@moffittjc That is quite awhile to wait. You would think more would make appointments.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (21865)
• United States
10 Feb
I get my blood drawn at the doctor's office. I don't have to see her until April. I most likely will have to get my blood drawn then.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 Feb
I have a follow up with my doctor at the end of this month to review the results of my bloodwork. I hope the results don’t dictate another round of labs.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (218418)
• United States
7 Feb
Our lab just changed over from walk-ins to asking for an appointment. There was no one waiting when I went for my lab work.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
My lab is starting to promote appointments as well. I imagine they would like to get away from wal-ins if they could. I’m sure it’s much easier to manage their staffing levels if everyone has appointments.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (116943)
• United States
6 Feb
I usually don’t make an appointment because my particular lab is never busy. I would definitely make an appointment if this particular lab suddenly started getting more patients though.
And good for you, for making sure to get the checkups you should be getting. I really need to as well. There are several checkups I’m way past due on, and I’m not proud of myself for not going.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Feb
I wish our lab was like yours, but the one I go to is always packed. And for some reason none of those people ever have appointments.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128034)
• Gainesville, Florida
7 Feb
You are lucky that you don’t have to wait long. I wish it was the same here.
1 person likes this
