After-Hours Labs for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

After-hours lab visits allow your child to have blood samples taken after 5 p.m. each weekday, including holidays. On weekends, the visits are 7 a.m. –7 p.m.

Services we provide

During your child’s regular clinic visit, your care team may ask if you would like to have your child’s next lab visit after hours. If so, the team will schedule your visit for an after-hours date and time.

Eligibility for after-hours labs

The medical team will look at your child’s recent lab values (complete blood count or CBC tests) to see if your child is eligible for after-hours labs.

Eligibility also depends on whether:

• Your child’s disease is stable
• Your child keeps regularly scheduled appointments
• Your child takes all of their medicine as instructed

Your child will not see a doctor or a member of the Hematology team at a lab-only visit.

What to expect during your visit

The process for after-hours lab visits varies depending on the time of your appointment. Please arrive at the scheduled time. St. Jude staff will cancel the visit if you are more than 30 minutes late. If you miss several after-hours visits, you can no longer schedule lab-only visits.

If needed, the care team will order your child’s hydroxyurea refill for the same date as the lab-only visit.

Monday – Friday, 5 – 9 p.m.

1. Go to Patient Registration to check in and get an armband.
2. Go to the Infusion Center for the lab visit.
3. Ask your nurse about your child’s next appointment time before you leave the Infusion Center.
4. Go to the Pharmacy to get your child’s medicine

You can go home once you have picked up your child’s medicine.

Weekdays after 9 p.m.:

1. Go directly to the Infusion Center.
2. Ask your nurse about your child’s next appointment time before you leave the Infusion Center.
3. Go to the Pharmacy to get your child’s medicine.

You can go home once you have picked up your child’s medicine.

Weekends, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.:

1. Go to Patient Registration to check in and get an armband. 
2. Go to Pre-Clinic Assessment for the lab visit.
3. Ask your nurse about your child’s next appointment time before you leave the Infusion Center.
4. Go to the Pharmacy to get your child’s medicine.

You can go home once you have picked up your child’s medicine.

If your child’s blood counts are low

If your child's blood counts are low, someone from your hematology team will call you to discuss the hydroxyurea plan. The hydroxyurea dose might need to be adjusted or stopped.

Please make sure registration has your most up-to-date phone number so they can reach you if they need to.

Your Infusion Center team