HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — Patient first is now offering coronavirus testing at four of its locations.
The COVID-19 testing will be done drive-up style. Patients must remain in their cars during the testing, and Patient First staff will wear proper PPE when collecting samples from those patients, according to a Patient First news release.
The samples will be tested by a third party lab, and results are expected to be ready about two days after the test is completed. A Patient First nurse will call patients to communicate their test results and provide medical guidance.
RELATED: Local hospitals start in-house COVID-19 testing
Testing will be done by appointment only, every day between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the following locations:
- 705 N. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake: (757) 547-0688
- 2304 W. Mercury Blvd., Hampton: (757) 951-1579
- 5486 Indian River Rd., Virginia Beach: (757) 424-2490
- 1605 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach: (757) 721-0512 (Testing begins May 14)
Patients must call ahead to schedule a test. Patient First will not test everyone. Medical staff will screen patients over the phone.
Patients are asked about symptoms and risk factors to determine whether they meet screening criteria based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The screening criteria include meeting any of the following conditions:
Symptoms
- You have at least one of the following:
- Coughing
- Shortness of Breath
- Difficulty Breathing
- OR you have at least two of the following:
- Fever
- Chills
- Sore Throat
- Fatigue
- Body Aches or Muscle Pain
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of Appetite
- Loss of Smell
- Loss of Taste
Patient first will test all healthcare workers and first responders.
The COVID-19 test won’t cost anything for insured patients. Self-pay patients will have to pay $90 to Patient First and $51.31 to the lab, which will come as a separate bill.
All Patient First locations will remain open for people who need walk-in appointments that are not COVID-19 related, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Updates about testing sites, instructions about how to make an appointment, and other information are available at www.patientfirst.com/covid-19-testing.