A drive-through clinic is available for TriHealth patients at TriHealth Liberty and TriHealth University Station, with three more expected to open in the next few days.
Christ Hospital Network’s first site opened in Mason on Monday next to St. Susanna Catholic Church and had performed more than 100 swabs for testing as of Tuesday, according to the health network. A second site outside of the Joint & Spine Center at The Christ Hospital’s main campus in Mt. Auburn is scheduled to open today Future sites have also been identified contingent on supplies.
MORE: Coronavirus: DeWine asks businesses to take employees’ temperatures
“Our mission is to improve the health of the community, and right now we believe widespread testing is the best way to accomplish that mission,” said Dr. Tom Lamarre, medical director of infectious diseases at The Christ Hospital Health Network.
For the Mason site, if an individual has a test order from a health care provider, they will be asked to stay in their vehicle and call the facility upon arrival.
Kettering Health Network hospitals, including Fort Hamilton Hospital, will provide testing kits only for symptomatic patients sick enough to be admitted, according to spokeswoman Elizabeth Long.
While UC Health has yet to offer a testing site at West Chester Hospital, it is offering a drive-thru COVID-19 screening and testing clinic on the academic health system’s Clifton Campus.
MORE: Kroger closing meat and seafood counters, hiring 10,000 workers
Located under two tents outside the front entrance of the West Professional Building at 3120 Burnet Ave. in Cincinnati, the clinic experienced an “incredibly high volume” of patients Tuesday, said UC Health officials, who are asking the public to not attempt a visit to the clinic without an appointment following a UC Health primary care physician consult.
Due to high demand and the need to prioritize available testing supplies for the most urgent and critical needs, the amount of appointments available for UC Health drive-thru COVID-19 testing will fluctuate each day, UC Health officials said Wednesday.
UC Health patients with non-emergent symptoms should stay at home and call their primary care physician for further information and direction. Primary care physicians and clinical staff answering UC’s central phone line may or may not recommend testing based on the number of available supplies and the prioritization of those with the most severe health challenges.
MORE: Butler County’s state of emergency declaration: What does it mean?
Mercy Health has launched a 24/7 Covid-19 hotline. People who have COVID-19 related questions or concerns, or need guidance on their next steps, may call 1-888-700-9011.
Mercy Health also is offering designated flu clinics in each of its markets. Its Cincinnati market is being covered by The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Outpatient Clinic and Mercy Health-Forest Hills Family Medicine.
Premier Health, along with CompuNet and Premier Health Urgent Care, are collaborating with the University of Dayton to provide drive-through COVID-19 specimen collection for patients with a doctor’s order.
The collection site is located in the UD Arena parking lot at 1801 Edwin C. Moses Blvd. in Dayton. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
MORE: Hamilton’s open restaurants and businesses: How to get updates on where to eat and shop
Both the Health Collaborative and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday emphasized what Butler County Health District officials stressed on Tuesday, namely Ohioans should only be tested for coronavirus if they are showing severe symptoms.
Those who do have symptoms and suspect exposure to coronavirus do not visit the emergency department for a test and instead contact their primary care doctor, according to Christa Hyson, spokeswoman for the Health Collaborative.
For those without one, calling the closest urgent care is suggested. Those who qualify for testing will be provided further instruction by their physician.
Those seeking testing will not be tested without a doctor’s referral and appointments are required for all COVID-19 tests.
Multiple health systems continue to stress that once samples are collected, they will be sent to labs where results can take several days to return.
MORE: Middletown’s open restaurants and businesses: How to get updates on where to eat and shop
COVID-19 testing sites, with a physician’s order
Christ Hospital Network: drive-through site next to St. Susanna Catholic Church in Mason; outside of the Joint & Spine Center at The Christ Hospital's main campus in Mt. Auburn
Mercy Health: designated flu clinics at The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Outpatient Clinic and Mercy Health-Forest Hills Family Medicine
Premier Health, CompuNet and Premier Health Urgent Care: collaborating with the University of Dayton to provide drive-through testing in the UD Arena parking lot at 1801 Edwin C. Moses Blvd. in Dayton.
TriHealth
emergency rooms of Bethesda Butler in Hamilton, McCullough-Hyde Memorial in Oxford, Bethesda Arrow Springs in Lebanon, as well as Good Samaritan, Bethesda North and Good Samaritan Western Ridge. Hospital drive through clinic available for TriHealth patients at University Station.
UC Health: drive-thru COVID-19 screening and testing clinic under two tents outside the front entrance of the West Professional Building at 3120 Burnet Ave. in Cincinnati
About the Author
