For a good collection ensure you are well hydrated and that your hands are warm and clean as this will increase blood flow.

Other activities such as exercising or swinging your arms back and forth will increase blood flow and provide for a better collection.

Carefully unfold the dried blood spot card.

Do not touch the portion of the card containing collection circles.

When you are ready, select a finger for your puncture site.

We recommend choosing your ring finger or your middle finger on your non dominant hand for your collection.

The best site for the puncture is just off center of the finger pad.

Note you may require two fingers and two lancets to ensure a good collection.

Disinfect the puncture site with the provided alcohol wipes.

Be mindful that your collection needs to be carried out in roughly a 90 second time span before clotting begins on the puncture site and a new puncture site must be selected.

Once the collection site is warm, dry and disinfected, twist off the Lancet cap.

Please note that each Lancet is only usable for one puncture.

After The Lancet has been used, it cannot be used again.

Press The Lancet firmly against clean collection site unselected finger until an audible click is heard.

This will create a small puncture on the collection site from which to extract the blood sample.

If a blood drop isn't forming naturally, coax circulation by using your index finger and thumb from your opposite hand and gently squeeze from base of finger to the puncture site.

Wipe away the first blood drop with a sterile cotton and set aside to discard as the second drop falls, align the collection site with one of the circles on the card and allow the drop to fall.

Repeat this for each circle.

Do not touch your finger on the card as this can cause the collection to be contaminated.

Be sure to fill as much of the circle as possible with one drop of blood.

Repeat this process, filling at least four of the circles.

Each dot should contain only one drop of blood.

Do not drip an additional drop on top of an already deposited drop.

Bandage the collection site with provided materials.

Carefully label the Dried Blood Spot card with the provided serialized label, complete with your first and last name and date of birth in block letters with a blue or black pen.

Then place over the labeling area on the Dried Blood Spot card.

Once complete, set the card down on a flat surface and allow the card to air dry for a minimum of two hours before packaging.

Do not touch the card or the blood drops.

Do not put the card in direct sunlight.

Once at least two hours have passed, fold the card up and slide the flap into the tap.

Place the card inside the sealable bag with the desiccant pack.

Ensure the Mylar sealable bag is closed.

Tightly place the sealable bag into the Switch Health box.

Place the box into the provided Purolator return bag. Follow the prompts on the Patient portal to select a return shipping method while awaiting pickup or drop off at your selected Dropbox.

Please keep the return shipment at room temperature in a dry location. All shipments should be sent back to the lab within a few days. We will send you an e-mail and an SMS text notification once your results are ready.

At Switch Health, we pride ourselves on being user first.

Our support team is available Monday-Sunday, 10AM-6PM EST.

You can reach us by phone at 1-888-966-6531 or email us at contact@switchhealth.ca.

Thank you for choosing Switch Health.