TAMPA -- Baycare... the parent network of Bayfront, St. Anthony's and St. Joseph's hospitals... says it's starting up drive through COVID-19 testing starting today (Wednesday) at seven urgent care locations. Right now they want to limit testing to those meeting C-D-C guidelines but hope to allow more to be tested as testing supplies arrive.
The company's news release follows.
BayCare will operate the service seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guidelines put forth by the CDC, recommend testing only for patients who have been screened by a medical professional as high-risk for COVID-19, either because of symptoms or travel histories or close contact with someone with COVID-19.
BayCare patients will be directed to the testing by their physician or by a physician from BayCareAnywhere, a telemedicine app that allows patients to obtain medical care via a smart phone, tablet or computer.
At each testing location, patients will quickly move through three stations while remaining in their car. BayCare team members, where appropriate, will wear personal protection equipment to insure safety for patients, team members, physicians and the community.
Results will be communicated to patients after they are processed by a laboratory, which takes anywhere from two to four days to receive. Positive results will be forwarded to the CDC for confirmation and shared with the Florida Department of Health, per state law.
Individuals who think they need to be tested for COVID-19 should first call their primary care physician or utilize BayCareAnywhere. To learn more, visit BayCareAnywhere.org.
Testing locations:
BayCare Urgent Care (Carillon) o 900 Carillon Parkway, Suite. 106, St. Petersburg, FL 33716
BayCare Urgent Care (New Port Richey) o 4821 U.S. Highway 19, New Port Richey, FL 34652
BayCare Urgent Care (Countryside) o 3351 N. McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater, FL 33761
BayCare Urgent Care (Tampa) o 3440 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Suite 100, Tampa, FL 33607
BayCare Urgent Care (New Tampa) o 17512 Dona Michelle Drive, Suite 5, Tampa, FL 33647
BayCare Urgent Care (Bloomingdale) o 2442 Bloomingdale Ave., Valrico, FL 33596
BayCare Urgent Care (Haines City) o 36245 U.S. Highway 27, Haines City, FL 33844
Besides the impacted BayCare Urgent Care centers used as testing sites, BayCare is closing several BayCare Laboratory Patient Service Centers to create the resources to staff the testing sites. To find which BayCare Urgent Care centers and laboratories remain open to serve patients with non-COVID-19-related illnesses and injuries, visit baycare.org/coronavirus/closures.
Here's a link to BayCare's Website:
Photo Credit: Baycare/PR Newswire