The notion of drive-through to collect nasal swabs for COVID-19 testing is a practical and efficient idea and, I think, will ultimately be used across the country. Here's an article about how such a collection process is being organized by two Cleveland hospitals (see: University Hospitals and Cleveland Clinic Partner to Provide Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing). Below is an excerpt from the article:
Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals (UH) have partnered to provide drive-through COVID-19 testing for patients with a doctor’s order from UH or Cleveland Clinic....Patients without a doctor’s order will not be offered testing at this location. To obtain a medical screening to determine testing necessity, people with symptoms should start with a virtual visit using Cleveland Clinic’s Express Care Online or call their UH or Cleveland Clinic primary care physician. Upon arrival to the drive-through location, patients will stay in their car and present their doctor’s order. They will remain in their car as a sample is collected. Samples collected from this location will be sent to UH and Cleveland Clinic laboratories. Performing testing on-site at local hospitals ensures faster results than sending the samples to the state or outside lab. Results are anticipated to be available within a day. Patients will be tested regardless of their ability to pay; no copays will be charged for the test. Cleveland Clinic and UH are testing in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.
Several aspects of this program struck me as being interesting. For one, it's an example of two large health systems in the Cleveland market operating in a collaborative way. Secondly, health systems like Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, as opposed to public health departments, have their own labs so the turn-around time for results will be about a day. Moreover and in this Cleveland venture, testing will be performed regardless of ability to pay. For those with health insurable, copays will be waived.
A very interesting twist is that Cleveland Clinic has been offering telemedicine services for about five years (see: Cleveland Clinic Launches Web Site to Offer Physician Visits to Ohio Residents). The Clinic was way ahead of the curve in making this service available to Ohio residents. It's value is now being shown in perhaps an unanticipated way -- the ability to generate a physician lab test order for patients prior to their participation in the drive-through line. I think that the COVID-19 pandemic will be a stimulus for other health systems to launch and expand their own virtual care programs.
Why outdoors? Seeking the ‘why’?
Why In tents?
Why given fewer hygiene controls and less than optimal waste mgmt? Hand washing in 30-50 degrees?
Why given no control to weather variables?
Rain, wind(20-30mph), Temps- and the body human response- runny noses, cold hands
Why not an ‘already-designed -for -all -clinical -safety -considerations -collection site’ for scheduled patients, collectors, and the greater public that is focused to minimizing risk and maximizing the specimen quality rather than seemingly high potential to exacerbating risk?
If less risk in a tent outdoors, I’m all about it.
Why?
Posted by: E | March 21, 2020 at 09:47 AM