Patient First in East Norriton offering testing
Montgomery County residents have another coronavirus testing site at their disposal and it is now open in East Norriton.
Patient First Medical Center on Tuesday began providing drive-up COVID-19 testing at its location at 400 E. Germantown Pike, according to a Patient First company spokesperson.
Testing, which is by appointment only, is scheduled 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. Appointments can be made by calling the test center at 610-994-0063.
The center is scheduling 48 appointments each day.
Those seeking an appointment will be asked about symptoms and risk factors to determine whether they meet screening criteria based on guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In order to be tested, a patient must have one or more symptoms of COVID-19 which include, fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat, or be a health care worker or first responder, officials said.
Instructions about how to make an appointment and other information is available at www.patientfirst.com/covid-19-testing
The center is utilizing a nasopharangyal swab for the testing. No antibody tests are available at this time, officials said.
All test samples are collected outside of the medical center. Patients may remain in their vehicles through the entire process.
Staff members collecting samples are equipped with proper personal protective equipment, including an N95 mask, gloves, eye protection, and gown.
Samples will be sent to a third-party reference lab for testing and results will generally be available in about two to four days. A Patient First nurse will call each patient once results are available to share results, provide guidance, and answer any questions, officials said.
For insured patients, there is no out-of-pocket expense for the COVID-19 testing. The visit will be submitted to patients’ insurance. Patient First accepts all major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. For self-pay patients, the cost is $90 plus a separate bill from the lab, according to officials.
Patient First also is offering the COVID-19 tests at its medical center at 2600 Papermill Rd., in Spring Township, Berks County. Residents can make an appointment at the Berks County site by calling 484220-0051.
Appointments are not needed for visits unrelated to COVID-19 testing, officials said. All Patient First Medical Centers, including the designated testing centers, remain open on a walk-in basis from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily, for patients who have an urgent need for medical or injury care.
Officials said all Patient First centers have taken steps to provide a safe environment for patients and staff, including requiring all patients and staff to wear masks while inside the center, thoroughly disinfecting surfaces throughout the center at regular intervals, requiring frequent hand washing, and limiting visitors to only essential family members.
Patient First currently operates medical centers in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.