WHS opens drive up COVID-19 testing sites
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Washington Health Systems set up a COVID-19 drive-up testing site at Wellness Way in South Strabane Township Wednesday for patients who have a prescription for the test from a licensed medical professional.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
WHS-Greene set up a COVID-19 drive-up testing site at the medical arts building beside the hospital Wednesday for patients who have a prescription for the test from a licensed medical professional.
Washington Health System have established COVID-19 outpatient testing sites in Washington and Greene counties – one in front of Building No. 3 of Wellness Way in South Strabane Township, and the other at the medical arts building next to WHS-Greene hospital in Waynesburg.
Any patients wanting to use either of the two drive-up testing sites must have a prescription from a licensed medical provider to get the test, according to Stephanie Wagoner, marketing and community relations manager for WHS.
They will also need their doctor to provide the testing location with “all the demographics regarding their case” before the patient arrives, Wagoner said in an email. Without a script or information, patients will be turned away, she said.
“We cannot have a line of cars with people thinking this is an open testing for all,” Wagoner said in an email.
WHS has tested “numerous patients, both inpatient and outpatient,” according to Wagoner. “All results that we have received back so far have been negative,” she said.
Wagoner declined to provide the number of tests performed thus far by WHS because it “is not the only location that is testing patients within the county,” she wrote in an email.
Both WHS drive-up testing locations are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We are asking patients to stay in their car, and the WHS lab personnel will come out to your car to administer the test,” according to Wagoner’s email.
There have not been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Greene County, but its leaders expect that to change with the new testing location.
“The number of testing and test kits has increased. So I would anticipate it’s just a matter of time before we have positives here,” Commissioner Mike Belding said at Thursday’s board of commissioners meeting.
Another company offering tests is the North Shore-based Central Outreach Wellness Center. It had been testing at all three of its locations – the North Shore, Aliquippa and in Washington, at 95 Leonard Ave., Suite 203.
The founder, Dr. Stacey Lane, said that on Monday and Tuesday, they were able to screen more than 550 people and administer 154 tests throughout all three locations, including Washington. Lane said they don’t yet have numbers for Wednesday, but expects to receive 275 tests on Friday to continue testing.
However, they’ve since stopped testing at the Washington location, Lane said.
“We’re not going to be testing there, but we’re at both other locations right now,” she said. “We’ll probably try to move all testing to one centralized location.”