Lawrence County has coronavirus testing for severe cases at UPMC Jameson

Jameson Hospital

From The Times

Lawrence County has four confirmed cases of COVID-19. County residents seeking testing for the novel coronavirus can be tested in-county at UPMC, but only in severe circumstances.

Lawrence County has four confirmed cases of COVID-19. County residents seeking testing for the novel coronavirus can be tested in-county at UPMC, but only in severe circumstances.

Although specimen collection to identify COVID-19 is available at UPMC Jameson in New Castle, most folks who think they have the virus are encouraged to reach out to their primary care physician first, who will then refer those — if needed — to the nearest UPMC collection site in either the South Side of Pittsburgh or in Erie.

Heritage Valley also offers specimen collection for those with a referral. Their drive-thru testing site is at 79 Wagner Road, Center Township in Beaver County.

Testing at Heritage Valley is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

“The main message is, if (Lawrence County residents) are experiencing severe symptoms, they should go to the emergency department at Jameson for immediate care,” Dana Piatek, manager of the Infection Prevention Department for UPMC Jameson and Horizon hospitals.

“If they call ahead of time, we can be ready and take them to a private room. We don’t want them to delay,” she said. “We can collect the specimen at UPMC Jameson. We have an entire process for our inpatients.”

Piatek said UPMC Jameson, 1211 Wilmington Ave. in New Castle, is equipped to collect specimens and send them to UPMC’s central lab in Pittsburgh for testing. But not everyone who thinks they could have COVID-19 should head straight to Jameson.

Folks who are experiencing mild, flu-like symptoms should not go to the emergency room.

Instead, Piatek says, “You can call your primary care physician,” or better yet, opt for UPMC’s telemedicine.

“You don’t have to go out to the physician’s office. You can use telemedicine from your home,” she said.

Through UPMC AnywhereCare, patients are able to have a virtual appointment with a clinician over the phone or through video.

Source: https://www.timesonline.com/news/20200327/lawrence-county-has-coronavirus-testing-for-severe-cases-at-upmc-jameson

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