GREENFIELD — An urgent care and walk-in clinic in Greenfield is offering COVID-19 testing to patients, who don’t have to leave their vehicles receive a screening.
First Care, which opened last July at 1317 N. State St., is one of 18 of the company’s locations providing curbside coronavirus testing. Patients, who must book appointments, will remain in their vehicles during the entire duration of the visit, according to a news release from the clinic.
Upon arrival, patients can expect a screening for symptoms. They will be asked for a complete health history and will receive a virtual telemedicine exam on their cellphone or other mobile device with a family nurse practitioner. If the nurse practitioner determines a COVID-19 test is necessary based on the information provided, one will be administered using a nasopharyngeal swab inserted through the nose to the back of the throat, where a sample will be collected. Test results usually take one to three days to come back from contracted labs.
Sabrina Briggs, director of clinical quality for Nashville, Tennessee-based First Care and a family nurse practitioner, told the Daily Reporter that the clinic has been offering curbside COVID-19 testing in Greenfield for a few weeks but hasn’t performed that many.
Briggs said patients don’t have to be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to be tested and can seek a test if they think they’ve been exposed to the virus. She emphasized patients still have to be screened and speak with First Care staff, who will determine if a test is needed, “but we are testing more openly than we were when we started a few weeks ago.”
“If people have concerns, they can come in and be tested without specific symptoms, if they’re worried they’ve been exposed,” she added.
Briggs said that First Care required patients to have symptoms in order to get tested at the start of the new curbside model when materials were more limited nationally, but the clinic has since expanded its testing capabilities.
“We’re excited about being in Greenfield and being available,” Briggs said. “We have the staff to help, so we’re hoping people come to us.”
Before a COVID-19 swab, a flu and/or strep test may be conducted to rule out those illnesses, according to First Care’s news release.
Curbside testing is consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and allows for non-symptomatic patients to be seen in a normal in-clinic visit, the release also states.
Briggs said Greenfield’s First Care will report its testing data to the Hancock County Health Department.
First Care’s program continues as the state gets ready to launch an expanded COVID-19 testing campaign across Indiana that officials say will eventually test 30,000 Hoosiers a week. Officials have stressed that expanded testing capabilities will be imperative for monitoring the virus as activities start to resume.
First Care’s COVID-19 testing is available during the clinic’s business hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The clinic can be reached at 317-967-2167. Patients can book appointments online at firstcareclinics.com as well.
First Care also continues treating patients with non-COVID-19 symptoms and injuries.
The clinic accepts all major insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans Affairs coverage. Patients without insurance can receive treatment for $89. First Care won’t bill patients directly for COVID-19 testing and asks them to contact their insurance companies for coverage details.
