COLORADO SPRINGS — Peak Vista Community Health Centers said Friday they were the first health center in El Paso County to provide a coronavirus drive-through testing site for anyone with symptoms in the past 3-5 days.
They said symptomatic individuals 12 years of age and older can come and get tested without a doctor’s note. The testing site opened Friday, April 17th. They stated they hope it reinforces state efforts to manage the spread of the virus.
Anyone who has a child 12 years and younger need to call ahead so they can go inside the clinic for testing.
“If you have the symptoms and qualifications, we are here for you,” Peak Vista Community Health Centers Chief Operations Officer Rob Nartker said.
WHERE:
The testing site will be at Peak Vista’s Academy Campus located at 3205 N Academy Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80917 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Monday through Friday in the South parking lot.
WHAT YOU NEED TO SHOW:
- present a form of ID
- insurance card, if applicable
“We are taking family size and income into consideration. We then slide the fees down to something that is considered affordable,” Peak Vista Community Health Centers CEO and President Pam McManus said.
McManus said that they decided to open up the drive-through clinic for a variety of reasons.
“For our community it’s important if we know if people have the virus or not,” McManus said.
TESTING:
- a swab of a patient’s nose while staying in their car (no more than two people per car)
- Testing is for people showing symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath
Peak Vista released in a statement that “all visitors will be asked to fill out a demographic form prior to testing, which collects basic demographic information such as income and family size to determine if the patient qualifies for any assistance.”
While people are waiting for their test results they are asked to stay home and avoid public transit and public places like grocery stores until they get their results.
RESULTS:
- All tests are being supplied and processed through Quest Diagnostics, and those individuals who are tested at the drive-through site will receive a phone call with their results from a Peak Vista provider
For more information or to enroll as a new patient please visit peakvista.org or call (719) 632-5700.
About Peak Vista Community Health Centers
Peak Vista Community Health Centers is a nonprofit organization providing exceptional health care to people facing access barriers through clinical programs and education. Established in 1971, Peak Vista offers primary medical, integrated behavioral health, and dental care services. We proudly serve over 94,000 patients annually through 27 outpatient centers in Colorado’s Pikes Peak and East Central regions. To learn more about Peak Vista, visit peakvista.org.
