Samaritan Health Services has obtained sufficient quantities of testing supplies and personal protective equipment to expand COVID-19 testing in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties, and is now providing testing for all patients with symptoms of coronavirus, with a clinician’s order. Patients with a clinician’s order will be sent to temporary testing sites in Corvallis, Depoe Bay and Lebanon, and more temporary testing sites will be up and running soon.
“It is still very important to call first or do a telehealth visit to have your symptoms assessed, so your clinician can coordinate testing and monitor your symptoms,” said Adam Brady, MD, of Samaritan Infectious Disease. “By calling ahead or completing a telehealth visit, we can ensure that we are taking the appropriate precautions to keep you and our staff safe.” Patients who have coronavirus symptoms such as fever, cough and/or shortness of breath or mild symptoms such as body aches, loss of sense of smell or taste, or sore throat are asked to call their primary care provider for a telehealth visit or do a MyChart “Coronavirus Concerns” E-Visit to be assessed and routed to appropriate testing and care.
For a telehealth visit via video or phone, call your primary care provider. Find out more at samhealth.org/Telehealth. Samaritan patients can visit samhealth.org/MyChart to set up a MyChart account. Those who are not currently Samaritan patients may call 541-768-7080 to set up an account. Patients without a primary care provider or who are unable to access MyChart can call 855-543-2780. If a test is ordered, the patient will be contacted to schedule a date, time and location to be tested.
Patients who arrive at a testing site without a scheduled appointment will be turned
away and instructed to call their primary care provider or do a MyChart “Coronavirus Concerns” visit. Clinicians are encouraged to order testing in all symptomatic patients and pay close attention to the following types of symptomatic patients who are at high risk of complications or transmission to others: health care workers, first responders, patients in care facilities or other congregate living settings, patients over age 60, pregnant women, patients with underlying medical conditions, immuno-suppressed patients, minorities and frontline service workers such as grocery, delivery and transportation employees.
“We are happy to be able to offer testing to a wider group of patients,” said Dr. Brady. “We hope increased testing availability will further help reduce the spread of the virus and help our
communities get a better sense of how the disease is spreading.” Samaritan Health Services will continue to monitor testing and personal protective equipment supplies closely and change testing guidelines accordingly, because testing supplies are not unlimited and the supply chain is still disrupted.