FOUNDCARE TO RE-OPEN FREE DRIVE-THROUGH TESTING SITE FOR COVID-19 VIRUS
Prospective patients must call 561.967.0365 for appointment
WEST PALM BEACH – Starting on Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 a.m., FoundCare, Inc. will be conducting outpatient drive-through COVID-19 testing in the parking lot of its location at 2330 South Congress Avenue in West Palm Beach. Trained healthcare providers for the nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center will once again test Palm Beach County residents for COVID-19 on-site.
As Palm Beach County’s first site to offer drive-through testing, FoundCare has now conducted 2,129 COVID-19 tests since they began offering the free service on March 16. Most recently, they have been providing pop-up mobile sites to test under-served communities in the county.
“As a healthcare organization, it’s critical we continue our mission of fulfilling unmet healthcare and social service needs of Palm Beach County residents,” said Yolette Bonnet, CEO for FoundCare. “We went into the county’s most vulnerable areas and provided culturally sensitive, competent care where it was most needed. Now we want to centralize our outreach and focus on testing as many people as we can.”
Following Wednesday’s launch, the service will continue every Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and hours may be adjusted based on need and supplies. Patients must have an appointment to be seen at the testing site. Walk-up appointments will be available for those without transportation. In addition, FoundCare will continue providing community testing at different locations throughout Palm Beach County on Saturdays.
Prior to being tested, prospective patients need to call 561.967.0365. The phone line will be open for appointments starting Monday, May 11, 2020. Anyone who is 18 years or older may make an appointment.
According to FoundCare’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Oneka Marriott, symptoms for COVID-19 can range from mild to severe.
“Patients typically present with fever, cough and possibly shortness of breath,” said Dr. Marriott. “Most cases have presented with mild symptoms. Patients with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, immunocompromised states, or those greater than 65 years-of-age with fever or symptoms of cough or shortness of breath may experience more severe and life-threatening outcomes of COVID-19 infection.”
At the testing site, patients must have their patient code and an appointment in order to be tested. No one will be tested without a prior appointment. Patients must also arrive wearing a face mask or cloth covering. FoundCare staff will safely store the patient’s information, collect the specimen using a test kit, and send the specimen to a qualified lab.
According to Dr. Marriott, samples will be sent to a commercial lab (e.g. Quest, Diatherix, BioReference). The patient will be instructed to self-quarantine at home while waiting for the test results, which can take from 48-72 hours. FoundCare staff will contact the patient with the results as soon as they are available.
“People have always looked to FoundCare for their healthcare needs, and for the healthcare needs of their loved ones,” said Bonnet. “We are facing a major health challenge, and FoundCare continues to be committed to its patients and the community-at-large. FoundCare will continue to provide access to care, both during the good times, and during the most difficult.”
Telehealth and limited health center services are ongoing at FoundCare. Appointments for new and existing patients can be scheduled through the call center at 561-432-5849.
FoundCare, Inc., celebrating 35 years in the community, uses a sliding fee scale based on household size and income, and no one is turned away for inability to pay. With several locations throughout Palm Beach County, FoundCare services include pediatric and adult primary care, new women’s health services, chronic disease management, behavioral health services, dentistry, pharmacy, laboratory services and x-rays. For more information about FoundCare visit www.foundcare.org or call 561-HEALTHY (432-5849). To make a testing appointment, call 561.967.0365 for a required appointment and patient code.