Testing to include the general community when testing kits become more broadly available

— from Deanna Ellefson for PeaceHealth Medical Group —

To minimize face-to-face contact and ensure the safety of our patients, caregivers, and community members, PeaceHealth Medical Group in Friday Harbor will offer mobile COVID-19 testing for PeaceHealth Medical Group patients beginning Friday, April 3, 2020. Testing will be offered, as ordered by the patient’s provider, in the northeast corner of the medical center parking area at 1117 Spring Street.

PeaceHealth Medical Group patients who may be experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, shortness of breath) are asked to call the medical clinic at 360-378-2141 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to participate in a telephone screening with their health care provider. PeaceHealth clinicians will determine whether testing is appropriate and provide directions for patients to proceed to the mobile testing area.

PeaceHealth follows testing guidelines established by the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Washington State Department of Health. At this time – due to the limited numbers of tests available nationwide – testing at the medical clinic is only offered for PeaceHealth Medical Group patients experiencing symptoms and only for those that fall in high-risk categories including health care and service workers. PeaceHealth plans to expand testing to include the general community when testing kits become more broadly available.

To minimize exposure risks, PeaceHealth Medical Group began offering telephone visits two weeks ago for existing patients and video visits will be available beginning April 8.

For more information about the testing process, please call the clinic at 360-378-2141. COVID-19 information and resources may be found at Know Coronavirus and San Juan County Public Health.

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