Patriotic Vanguard Editor/Publisher Gibril Koroma recently interviewed Mike Kuzmickas (photo), Chief Executive Officer of Ichor Blood Services, a Canadian company based in Calgary, Canada. He talks about the work they do and other matters related to Covid-19.
Gibril Koroma: Thanks for this interview. We know there are a lot of testing establishments both public and private. What makes yours different?
Mike Kuzmickas: What makes Ichor different is that we have more to offer our clients than just Covid testing. We are a lab specimen collection company that works in many different areas with many different labs, both US and Canada. We are involved with prenatal genetic testing, early cancer detection, targeted cancer treatment, and in Calgary have the ability to collect general lab work for physician ordered requisitions as an alternate access point to the public system.
GK: How long does it take for a client to send you a sample and get the results? How many days?
MK: Because these tests are not time sensitive with respect to flights, we are set up to ship bulk down to Mayo Clinic on a weekly basis to keep test costs down. A client can book at one of our 5 office locations, or will be able to book our at home service, and we complete the blood draw from the arm, and then process the sample and keep it on dry ice until we are ready to ship. Shipping on a weekly basis means a client would receive their results anywhere in a 3-10 day window roughly depending on when their appointment was relative to the ship date.
GK: You obviously have top scientists and laboratories. Can you tell us a bit more about your facilities and staff?
MK: Ichor is just a specimen collection company as I mentioned, we are not a lab or do any of the testing ourselves. We facilitate tests by connecting the labs that offer them, and the customers that want them. Our front line staff consists of Medical Lab Assistants and Licensed Practical Nurses, both skilled in phlebotomy and the processing of lab specimens. Our management staff has a wide range of backgrounds, including Engineering, Master’s in Business, PhD in Molecular Biology, Fitness and Nutrition, and Computer Science. It brings a wealth of diverse experience to the table as we navigate shifting from start-up to growth.
GK: Do you think Covid-19 would one day disappear?
MK: No, I dont. I believe it is just something we will have to live with and you have already seen the Alberta Government take that approach by shifting their policies from controlling a Pandemic to living with an Endemic. This will become just like the seasonal flu with annual vaccine boosters for those who want them. Where I’m really curious is how far society takes the measures to control this Endemic with respect to vaccine mandates, proof of negative test, antibody testing etc. Everyone is on different vaccine schedules, the virus continues to mutate, so what will governments do to ensure someone is negative or protected, or will they enforce anything at all and treat it like the flu.
GK: What other tests do you do apart from Covid-19 and how much does each cost?
The other tests that we “offer” we just facilitate on behalf of labs and clients. Because we don’t “sell” these tests direct to consumers we aren’t able to discuss pricing, but use our social media presence and google authority to bring awareness of who we are working with. For example, if someone was looking to get ColonSentry or BreastSentry from StageZero Life Sciences, we would connect them with the lab to purchase the test and have the intake done, and then Ichor would collect their blood sample, process it, and ship to the lab for testing. We are looking at different ways to let people know the various labs we work with and tests they offer without crowding our website or giving off the impression that we sell and control these tests.
The lab work service we provide in Calgary costs $75. Clients can book an appointment at our office as soon as same day, bring their requisition in and have their specimens collected, we drop them at the lab for processing, and their physician receives results in the same timeline they would if the patient went to the lab directly. The value add for the $75 fee is appointment availability the public system may not have, along with no waiting room or lines. We hope to expand this service to other cities and other province, but Alberta is by far the friendliest environment for private medical companies to succeed in the country. Our ability to expand this service completely depends on provincial governments and lab organizations willing to let us operate in the space.
GK: Is there something else people should know about your company?
Our corporate target is to create a premier concierge lab service at an affordable cost to our clients. We don’t over book our offices, we don’t rush appointments, we try to create as pleasant of an experience for every individual that we can at all times. We believe the customer service side of our business is what will differentiate us from the competition over time.
Comments