Prisma Health will pilot an 11-hour community testing event – almost three times as long as its usual community testing event – in Seneca on Tuesday, July 14.
The community testing event will run 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 14, at Blue Ridge Elementary School, at 995 S. Oak Street.
Prisma Health’s previous community testing sites typically ran for four hours, but Prisma Health worked with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to expand the hours and bring on additional staffing and other resources for Tuesday’s event.
“Prisma Health is evaluating alternative community testing delivery models in an effort to increase accessibility to testing and to improve the efficiency of the process,” said Jennifer Snow, executive director of Prisma Health’s Accountable Communities initiative.
Prisma Health has helped open more than 40 free testing clinics for more than 18,000 people so far this year.
“We know there is an ever-increasing need for testing and also that patients are willing to drive outside of their hometown communities to receive testing that’s convenient for their schedules. We also know from feedback that people would like testing opportunities outside the usual 9-5 work schedule. We wanted to pilot some new approaches to see what would better help needs of our communities across all of these fronts,” said Snow.
Testing is a priority for Prisma Health, especially providing access to communities that need it the most.
For more information on other testing sites this week, visit https://www.prismahealth.org/coronavirus/.
Here is what community members should know about community testing sites:
· All those who think they might have COVID-19 will be tested.
· No one needs a doctor’s order at community sites. (Physician-ordered testing for patients who already have providers, have completed a Virtual Visit or need pre-surgical testing takes place at hospital-based testing sites as instructed by their providers.)
· Testing will be given regardless of ability to pay.
· No appointment is needed.
· Spanish-speaking Prisma Health team members will be available at every site.
· All those taking part will be given masks when they arrive. They will also be asked to maintain social distancing.
· Test results should come back within four days.
· Everyone tested will receive follow-up information about test results – whether positive or negative – from providers at Prisma Health.
· Everyone will get tips on isolating at home if sick, caring for themselves and seeking more help if symptoms worsen.
For more information on COVID-19 testing throughout S.C., visit scdhec.gov/covid19mobileclinics or scdhec.gov/covid19testing.
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