BayCare Consolidates COVID-19 Test Collection to one Site per County

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Mar 22, 2020, 21:28 ET

CLEARWATER, Fla., March 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Effective Monday, BayCare Health System is consolidating its drive-thru COVID-19 test collection sites to high volume locations and to provide geographic access.

The changes reduce from seven to four the number of test collection sites BayCare is operating across West Central Florida. The centers hours will also shift to 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

BayCare Consolidates COVID-19 Test Collection to one Site per County

Criteria for testing will remain the same as BayCare concentrates on using its limited test supplies to identify patients who have the virus. Patients should be referred by a physician and should have current symptoms – cough, fever, shortness of breath – and meet other criteria recommend by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

After five days of testing across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties, the seven BayCare sites had screened more than 6,100 people and collected specimens for testing from nearly 3,500.

Results from the tests are not expected until five to seven days after the specimen was collected. Patients will be called with their results. Positive results will be reported to the Florida Department of Health as required by state law.

Due to patient privacy laws, BayCare requires members of the media to coordinate and be accompanied by a member of the BayCare Communications Department when visiting a testing site.

Below are the addresses for the testing sites that will operate Monday from 9 am. to 12 noon. Patients should bring documentation from a physician that they have been referred for testing. Testing locations:

BayCare Urgent Care (Tampa)

3440 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Suite 100, Tampa, FL 33607

BayCare Urgent Care (Carillon)

900 Carillon Parkway, Suite106, St. Petersburg, FL 33716

BayCare Urgent Care (New Port Richey)

4821 U.S. Highway 19, New Port Richey, FL 34652

BayCare Urgent Care (Haines City)

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.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org.

SOURCE BayCare Health System