Drive-Thru Coronavirus Testing? Yes, It’s Happening

After hospitals in Australia successfully implemented the process of drive-thru coronavirus testing, America is starting to roll out the same format. ABC News shared a video of Australia’s first drive-thru testing practice taking place in the Repatriation Hospital’s parking lot in Adelaide, in which nurses stand outside in protective clothing to test patients driving up in their vehicles.

Before people are allowed to visit the drive-thru service and get samples tested, they must first visit their general practitioner for authorization. During the test, nurses administer a swab test from the back of a person’s throat and nose. The drive-thru station announced it can test a new patient every 20 minutes and would be open 9 hours a day.

SA Pathology’s clinical services director Dr. Dodd told SBS News, “GPs, for a variety of reasons, are not able to easily collect specimens so this will be a useful alternative to send patients for specimen collection. We believe this will be effective in supporting isolation and barriers for patients with respiratory infections.”

Drive-Thru Coronavirus Testing Has Opened In Colorado, Texas, Illinois & More

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The drive-thru model is slowly rolling out stateside. As of March 12, the Advocate Good Shephard Hospital in Lake County is offering up the more convenient service to test for COVID-19. Following the same plan as Adelaide’s hospital, all patients must first receive authorization from their general practitioner before going to the drive-thru center.

Advocate Aurora shared in a statement: “Preparing for pandemics is not new and our expert infection preventionists, physicians and nurses are trained and ready for this. We have held simulation exercises for treating COVID-19 patients, have plans in place to address increased patient volume and have implemented visitor restrictions.”

Modern Healthcare has also reported that Tenet Healthcare Corporation announced that there were initiating up to 65 drive-up COVID-19 testing stations through the Dallas area. The Texas-based hospital chain’s CEO Ron Rittenmeyer discussed the novel approach during Wednesday’s virtual Barclays Global Healthcare Conference.

“So, if you can visualize this, we’ve laid out parking lots in anticipation of being able to immediately switch to a triage process, where you would be able to check temperatures, do swabs, et cetera, without the person actually leaving their car.”

Afterward, Rittenmeyer said, “Patients would then be directed home for self-quarantine until the results come in, at which point next steps would depend on the patients’ acuity.”

Colorado’s Department of Public Health & Environment opened up the state’s first drive-thru COVID 19 testing on March 11. The CDPHE shared the announcement that the state lab will be opening up in Denver at 8100 E. Lowry Boulevard, and the schedule of working hours will be regularly updated on their official website.

There Are A Few Required Steps Before Visiting A Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing

While the process may seem as easy as driving up to a hospital in your car, it is only a viable option if people have all their ducks in a row beforehand, and are required to stay in their vehicle throughout the process. Due to high demand, people should expect and prepare for long wait times.

As previously declared, coronavirus testing is free. Therefore, patients do not need to bring proof of insurance.

Patients must bring either a written or electronic copy of the doctor’s order.

Each person in the vehicle that wants to be tested must have their own doctor’s note.

Patients must bring one form of photo identification. Valid examples include a driver’s license, school ID or professional work badge.

PLEASE NOTE: Each city and state might have varied guidelines. Please double-check the hospital’s website before visiting their drive-thru testing site.

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