Quest Lab vs Alliance Lab
 

Just had a very bad experience at Quest Lab and decided to share it.
Walked in without an appointment and signed in using their terminals > there is no real person to help you so no option. Since I didn't have an appointment I was assigned a number indicating appointments had priority and I thought it said my time would be 11:20 about a 25-minute wait. As I waited, the waiting room continued to fill up and their TV Monitor keep indicating people with appointments waiting. No one from Quest really comes to the door except to call in the next appointment. When the monitor start showing appointment waiting now past noon I got worried and tried to go to the terminal to get help > each time I was given another number. Finally, at 11:45 I ran up to the next Quest person who came to the door for their appointment and asked what the problem was. I got the feeling she really wasn't happy about having take the time to answer a question but Her answer was: If you don't have an appointment you have to wait longer until we take care of the appointments. WOW, I waited probably 50 minutes and wasn't even in a real Q yet.

Of course, I gave up and went to a close by Alliance Lab which had a real person at a desk to help me and no one waiting in line. I was taken right in and out in under 5 minutes.

We used to use Alliance Lab before COVID and I'm not sure why we switched to QUEST but after today's experience, I can assure you I know where we will go next. Please note your mileage may vary but I got a feeling Quest has way too much business and I prefer talking to real people vs a terminal or computer.

Oh, one more piece of random info, after leaving Quest I called Lab Corp to see what their availability was, and after listening to their extended message about COVID and everything else in the world I gave up. It's interesting how medical facilities and many others try their hardest to run you through extended messages and computer dialog which often leave you no closer to getting help than when you started.

The problem was that you were a walk-in with no appointment. I always use Quest, and have an early morning appointment. They have about 8 locations in The Villages, which makes it very easy to get an appointment online. They usually complete the results the next day, and they are available on their website. Also, try to avoid the locations that do employment drug tests. I have never used Alliance, but I do like Quest.

Aren't you special figure its just like a barber shop or arriving at a restaurant with out an appointment.

Well both have lost all of my blood drawn, twice. Neither are high on my list

We used Quest. We request and get an appointment. Never had a problem.

Aside, I do not like talking to computers either. Like it or not it is the current reality.

Far as covid as an excuse. Reminded me of, TRUTH, grade school. A student told the teacher, the homework was not there because his/her dog chewed it up. The teacher's reply was, we were all form the same apartment complex with no dogs allowed. These things later evolved to computer eating stuff up. More recently the COVID excuse.

Used Lab Corp with an online appointment, checked in by text out in the parking lot, 5 minutes later they texted back, walked in and out in 10 minutes....easy...

You can go to Questdiagnostics.com and set up a free account. From there, you can make an appointment at any of their locations. They will send you an email when your test results are available to view on the website, and they will keep track of all your results for years, and display the results over time in a graph format. Very convenient.

I guess you thought you should jump the line ahead of those who made an appointment?

Always make an appointment. Those with appointments always have priority. If I had been in your position, i would have immediately went on line to make an appointment … Quest is not so busy now and its easy to make an appointment if you are willing to look at the alternate locations. I made an appointment last Wednesday evening for a Thursday 7 am appointment. No issues.

me too. Schedule early you never wait

Never had a problem at Quest. Alway have an appointment

All it took was once for me with that same experience to learn to make an appointment. Easy and done! Quest does an outstanding job and delivers the results to your doctor and to you in an efficient manner.

I like Quest. Always make my appointment online the night before. They take appointments every 15 minutes. I have seen people waiting for a long time as well. I even mentioned to one person to go on their phone & make an appointment. It seems silly to wait when it is easy to do. Obviously more appointments will continue to arrive. I am glad you found a lab you like. Everyone has different cups of tea.

Totally agree with OP. If you are not adding to the revenue stream, you don’t exist. I find myself listening to annoying Euro-trash electronic sounds while on hold waiting for retail customer service. Now even the practice of medicine often lacks common customer/patient service. It is not a matter of waiting one’s turn. It is a matter of being able to ask a question - communicate - with someone without having to wait forever to get a response to a simple question. Shouldn’t need to have an appointment or wait on hold forever to ask a question.

Dadspet....you switched from Alliance because their computers were hacked a couple years ago and all of their labs were closed. I, too, went to Quest without an appointment at 6:30AM and had to wait also. I have now switched back to Alliance and am very happy. No appointment needed.

Would you show up at your doctors office without an appointment and expect to be seen ahead of scheduled clients?
It sounds like people with a little tech savy are very happy with Quest. Those without prefer Alliance. Glad there are options.

Your experience
 

You screwed up.

I did that no appointments get a time that keeps changing based on how many people with appointments come in. You just WAIT cuz you are behind appointments. You can always just got to your Dr and have their people dig in your arm several times trying to hit the vein.

Results
 

I have been to Quest three times. Got my results only the first time. Did not get results the last two times and there is no human I can find to remedy me not getting my results.

It’s true, if you don’t have an appointment with Quest, you may be in for a long wait. I live next door to the one in Magnolia Plaza and I usually make an appointment. Twice, however, I needed to ask a question, so I have learned to go later in the day when they are slow and within an hour of closing so they will get me to the back faster, lol. If you need to talk to someone, when you go to check in, hit the “help” button as soon as it appears. You will still be given a time but they at least know you have a question. This was told to me by one of the phlebotomists

Sounds like Quest is real busy with appointments. If you were someone with an appointment and someone jumped the line by walking in. you would be on the opposite side of your complaint.

You might want to make sure the lab is in-network before you go! Just sayin...

If you ever have a billing issue with Quest you will not be using the word "Outstanding". It is near impossible to talk with someone about a billing issue and mine could not be resolved online. Dropped them and now I just get my lab work handled at my doctors office as they provide the service there and if any issues they take care of it. Someone mentioned can you walk into a dr. office without an appointment and the answer is yes. I learned when I first moved here if you see a sign that says walk-ins welcome, expect a long wait as they slip them in between those with appointments. Dropped two primaries because of their walk-in policy.

They do have a billing phone number, 1-866-MYQUEST.

I always pay with a credit card, and if they overcharged me, I would dispute the credit card charge with my bank.

Quest better than Alliance
 

I am a UF health employee, never happier when they finally allowed us to use Quest or Alliance. Alliance charges us way more and have limited hours with no appt's. As long as you make a appt with quest via there web page you will not have issues. Results are super quick and come right to my quest login page. Alliance never had that. To me and many employees at UF Health quest is awesome. Billing is also easy. I get a electronic bill and pay by credit card right on the website. Easy peasy.

Sorry to hear you had lousy experience at Quest. I have nothing but good things to say about them - make the appt online, use early morn appts so they are not backed for after noon appts., blood drawers have always been polite, effiencient, mostly painless & even cheerful . I get results on line the next day & results are quite clear with lots of explanations (& words for me to research), graphs & how far I am above or below the desired level. Results also go to the docs I have designated, of course. I would NEVER go there without an appt. Haven't been to any other lab so can't make a comparison but it's unlikely I'll go to any other lab since I am completely satisfied with them.

Not sure about Alliance (never used them) but I am not a fan of Quest or Labcorp. When dealing with C I had blood drawn at least weekly. I would receive bills for the same date and test but to different customer numbers (I ended up at Quest with 4 different accounts).

They should simply state that they do not take walkins. That is how they are in Naples FL

Wow I wasn't aware that people posted their level of tech savy in their post. Sure does seem like a real assumption to me that isn't valid. Since your keeping statistic on posts I'll clarify mine: BSEE, MSCS, post MS advance computer design education, Computer Wi-Fi patent, presenter at International AI conference and worked designing and low level programing computers for over 30 years.

My original post was simple: You don't need to take the time to make an appointment at Alliance Lab. My wife and I have had blood work there at least 4 times this year and each time there has been no one in the waiting room (Pinellas) and the tech took us within 1 minute. Results and a very nice report available with in 24 to 48 hrs.

I was just trying to help others out.

Used Quest for many years then switched to LabCorp. Love them. I always use their appt system and seldom need to wait more than 5 min. The online appt and results site is wonderful. I go to the Brownwood location inside the medical center. Friendly folks and the facility is beautiful.

Just my opinion and experience.

Really a quite easy solution in lieu of changing labs...
 

just make an appointment. It works and you get in within minutes of your assigned appointment.

Quest has always been good for me. They text you a link to check in.