The lady with the braids is the worst phlebotomist I've ever had. She didn't warn me she was about to stick me and then she JAMMED it into my vein and didn't do it right she had to move it around to find it. I've never had my arm soo sore after a blood draw this is crazy. I'll never go back to this location it hurt so bad she shouldn't be trusted with a needle that's very scary. read more

It just depends on who is working that day. My last visit I got a very nice phlebotomist young girl super helpful with the check in process (even though that was not her job). She did great. The time before I got a male doing my blood work and he was not friendly at all and left my vain with a big raised spot ( looked like maybe a bubble?? Don't know right on my vain) it took months to go down. People at front desk not very helpful at all. Unfortunately not many other places to go in Bakersfield for Lab Work. read more

Waited and waited to be checked in... Get checked in after 30 minutes (only 1 other person waiting), and I'm told I needed to fast--even though it said nothing on the paperwork and the MD told me nothing about having to fast?!? Then the office clerk/phlebotomist got argumentative. Still didn't get my blood drawn! Was told to come back. Wouldn't call my doctor to see if I had to fast, etc. Prior to being checked in, the girls were giggling and laughing. I definitely didn't feel like the customers were important. One of the workers took an alcohol pad and laughed the entire time that she wiped the front desk area off. Unprofessional if you ask me! Totally hit the heebie geebies read more

Physician's Automated Laboratory, Inc - Front desk! - Laboratory Testing Near Me - Bakersfield, California

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Even if you don't have a phobia about blood or needles, having your doctor order lab work is never an exciting piece of news. First of all, they delegate to the receptionist the task of giving you the bad news that some or all of your tests may require you to fast from food for a set period of time, which is always longer than the normal hiatus between meals. The info sheet stapled to my order stated that I had to stop eating and drinking for at least 12 hours before my blood was drawn. There was a notation to abstain from alcoholic drinks for at least 72 hours if any liver tests had been ordered. Two questions raced through my mind: 1) Are jello shots considered a "drink" since they aren't technically liquid? and 2) WERE any of the tests for my liver? Honestly, I had no idea, but it was Friday afternoon, the doctor's office was closed, and I was heading to my staff Christmas party that evening so I was sure to blow both of those prohibitions. I did the mental math and figured if I was a good girl starting Saturday I could go in for my tests at lunch on Tuesday. So what does this have to do with my visit to PAL? I arrived there about 10:55 am on Tuesday morning ravenous with hunger since I hadn't eaten since the night before. I'm sure I was at my level-headed best. I was directed to sign in and sit down to wait. There were only two other people there waiting. SURELY I could get this over with in time to hit a drive through on my way back to school and still be in my classroom at 11:35. So we sat there and watched the woman manning the front desk do paperwork and answer phone calls. About 11:00 she calls customer #1 up to review her orders and insurance information and then sent her back to her seat to start processing her. A little after 11:05 she called the woman into the back and disappeared herself. Five minutes later the customer returned, but not the employee. Customer #2 turns to me and says "At least it doesn't seem to take long once they call you back there. My stomach gurgles unhappily but I ignore it. Thank goodness she reappears a few minutes later, but customer #2 was still sitting there with her insurance card in her hand, unprocessed. More paperwork, more phone calls. Now I'm starting to get worried. She calls customer #2 up and starts to process her at 11:10. See? Things are really moving, now! She sends customer #2 in back to give a urine sample. More paperwork and phone calls. 11:15 and customer #2 comes back out; she can't remember where to put the urine sample. Oh, Lordy, she's got to give a blood sample, too. It's almost 11:20 now and I'm getting nervous. 11:24 and now two more people have signed in, but no sign of the duo from in back. I finally draw a line through my name and race out to the car. I get food at the drive thru but have no time to eat it. I show great restraint by not saying any naughty words. Now I'm now going to have to go through the whole fasting routine once again tomorrow. A friend suggests that I should be waiting out front at 6:45 so that I can be first when it opens at 7:00 and make it to school by 7:45 am and I agree. I wake up at 5:00 am (an outer circle of Dante's hell in itself) and race to get ready. Yay! I'm the first one in the parking lot! Another car pulls up at 6:50 and I'm glad I made the effort to be early. I can do this and maybe get Starbucks on my way in if everything goes as planned. 7:00 am. Storefront is dark and locked. 7:08. Dang! I'm starting to sweat a little. I don't think I can fast for a third day in a row tomorrow. 7:13 am. I start contemplating writing a nasty Yelp review, something I RARELY do, but I am a wee bit grumpy. At 7:15 a truck pulls up and a phlebotomist jumps out and starts racing for the front door exclaiming how sorry she is, they called her to cover at the last minute. We follow her in as she flips on the light, takes my paperwork and insurance card and starts to process me. She sends me back to chair #2 and I am soon joined by the other customer in chair #1. The phlebotomist chats in a friendly way, putting me at ease immediately telling me the story of her morning. I can't be upset at her in spite of the inherent crankiness caused by the situation. She promises to get done quickly so I can hit Starbucks on my way to school. She thanks me for not being cranky with her, so many customers often are. Her smile is genuine, and just like that she is done. I walk out of there at 11:21 with a smile on my face and plenty of time to hit Starbucks. Honestly, I don't feel like this place is well staffed and/or well organized, but their employees are trying their best to persevere in a bad situation so I can't take too many stars away from them. Whoever staffed PAL gets 2 stars but the girl who took my blood gets 5. I averaged them to get 3. read more

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I waited over an hour just to get blood drawn. Not enough staff there for demand. There was only 4 waiting to get lab work. Reception was not nice and welcoming. Only going here again if I have to. Rather go downtown read more

There are several PAL's throughout Bakersfield but this is the closest to my house. The baby and I had to get some blood work done and chose this one solely out of convenience. This is just a "walk in" facility and I don't think they take appointments. Our experience here with the staff was fine. Everyone was friendly enough and the paperwork process went smoothly. However expect long waits as they are way understaffed and don't move very quickly. The clientele in the waiting room is also "quirky". I would bett they mostly all had paperwork with their parole officers signature on it. read more

I've been to this PAL a few times now, and despite the receptionists being hit or miss in personality, they have always done an exceptional job. Both phlebotomists are always super personable and the blood draw part is almost painless. The wait is only 1-10 minutes, too! read more

Very slow. Blood work should be an in and out thing and I always have to wait at least 30 mins at this location. I've never had a problem with getting blood work but the one time I came here was the most painful experience I have had with getting my blood drawn. read more

Been here twice. Very long wait. First one was 2.5 hrs wait & today is 55 minutes. Not coming here again. Very understaffed!

Service use to be so quick in 15 min you're done. But now I don't know what happened. Their wait time is 45min or longer. Now I have to go somewhere else. read more

Great location but poorly staffed. They open at 6:30, but only one staff member was present until 7:30, and he really couldn't do all the work for the 7 or 8 people waiting at that time. Two more staff showed up at 7:30 and then things started to move more quickly. My suggestion is to just wait until 7:30 to go, or hit the Stockdale location. I heard they are more efficient. read more

Generally I'm not one to give negative reviews, but I won't be coming back to this PAL again. Since I was coming from work I thought that this would be quicker than going to the one on Panama (where I normally go). Frankly the service is extremely slow and lackadaisical. I've been here just about an hour now and finally was checked in. While there were a fair number of people here (and only 2 employees), it seems like they take a break after every blood draw. I could have easily driven to the Panama location, been seen, and driven back to work. read more

The only lab my family has ever used in Physician's Automated Lab and up until a year ago, most of my lab draws were okay. Sometimes you waited awhile, but I never doubted the accuracy of the results. Last year they made a mistake on one of my tests but wouldn't admit it was their error but agreed to refund the cost of the tests. My problem with them is it took several months to get them to respond and then the refund wasn't for the total amount. Tried rationally discussing it with them on the phone twice but finally gave up. Will never use them again. read more

This company is horrible! I've had multiple bad experiences with their staff and the billing is ridiculous! I'm fully insured, but they've sent me to collections twice without ever sending me a bill! Their billing staff are rude and unwilling to do their job when it comes to billing your insurance company. I would strongly recommend Quest on Stockdale HWY for all of your lab work needs. read more