Avera Queen of Peace Hospital and Avera Grasslands Health Campus in Mitchell have set up processing for testing for the COVID-19 virus that will limit exposure.
Queen of Peace CEO Tom Clark says if you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your primary care provider first rather than going directly to your clinic in order to protect other patients and staff. “There’s a screening tool that they use to find out and determine whether you’re at risk,” said Clark.
The state health department will then determine whether you should be tested. “If the patient needs to be tested then we will call them and they come here to Grasslands Campus to the circular drive on the south side and just pull up just short of the pharmacy drive-up window,” Clark continued, “and we have somebody who will come out to their car, swab them and then send them back home.”
Where they’ll be contacted once the test results are known.
Again, Clark says to call your primary care provider first, or Avera at 1-877-282-8372 if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
This test is only available to individuals who have been screened by a provider and referred for the test.