***Important update*** as of Friday, March 20, The Christ Hospital's Mason test site has been closed***
***Important update*** The Christ Hospital’s drive-thru test site in Mt. Auburn (2139 Auburn Ave.), originally scheduled to open Thursday, March 19, will not open until further notice. Due to high demand for testing, and limited testing materials in the region, the site’s opening has been delayed. The site is set up and ready to see patients once an appropriate amount of testing materials can be secured to ensure smooth operations in the coming weeks. The Christ Hospital will make an announcement as soon as the site is ready to open. We encourage individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to stay home and call their primary healthcare provider for next steps to be tested. Our test center in Mason remains open for our patients who have an order from a healthcare provider.***
As part of a sweeping response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Christ Hospital is opening multiple test sites throughout the Cincinnati Region. These sites will collect nasal samples and send them to labs to test for the COVID-19 virus.
The first site, which opened in Mason on Monday, March 16, has already performed over 100 swabs for testing. A second site located outside of the Joint & Spine Center at The Christ Hospital’s main campus in Mt. Auburn will open on Thursday, March 19. Future sites have also been identified contingent on supplies.
There are processes in place that ensures smooth operations can continue in the coming weeks across all sites. If individuals are experiencing flu-like symptoms such as a fever, cough, shortness of breath or other respiratory symptoms they will be encouraged to stay home and call their primary healthcare provider. That provider will evaluate the patient over the phone and decide whether the patient needs evaluated and/or tested. If the provider deems a test is necessary, the patient will be given next steps to go to the testing site.
For the Mason site
If an individual has a test order from a healthcare provider, they will be asked to stay in their vehicle and call the facility upon arrival. An approximate wait time will be communicated, and the individual will stay in their vehicle during that wait. Once their turn has come, they will receive a phone call asking them to enter the facility. They will promptly be given a mask and taken back to have a sample collected. At that point, the individual will be able to return to their vehicle and go home.
(Opening Thursday, March 19) For the Mt. Auburn site – 2139 Auburn Ave. Cincinnati, OH, Hours of operation: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
The Mt. Auburn test collection site will operate as a drive-up site. Individuals will not need an order from a healthcare provider to be seen at this site and can remain in their vehicle the entire time. Upon arrival, they will be screened for symptoms by a medical professional and, if appropriate, will have a sample collected for testing. Individuals who do not have symptoms will not be tested to ensure the preservation of critical, limited testing supplies. We ask that individuals please do not come to this site if they are not experiencing flu-like symptoms.
These sites are for sample collection purposes only and will not administer the actual test for COVID-19. Once samples are collected, they will be sent to labs where results can take several days to return. Individuals will be contacted about the results of the test once they return.
“The Christ Hospital has prepared extensively for this type of large-scale community health challenge. We have a task force that meets daily and is actively coordinating with local, state and national government and partner organizations,” said Tom Lamarre, MD, Medical Director of Infectious Diseases at The Christ Hospital Health Network. “We have anticipated this increase in demand for testing and our tireless planning has allowed us to open these sites so quickly. Our mission is to improve the health of the community, and right now we believe widespread testing is the best way to accomplish that mission.”
About The Christ Hospital Health Network: The Christ Hospital Health Network is an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn with six ambulatory centers and dozens of offices conveniently located throughout the region. More than 1,200 talented physicians and 6,100 dedicated employees support the Network. Its mission is to improve the health of the community and to create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes, the finest experiences, all in an affordable way. The Network has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as the 24th best large employer in the nation in the magazine’s “America’s 500 Best Large Employers” listing and by National Consumer Research as the region’s “Most Preferred Hospital.” The Network is dedicated to transforming care by delivering integrated, personalized healthcare through its comprehensive, multi-specialty physician network. The Christ Hospital is among only eight percent of hospitals in the nation to be awarded “Magnet” recognition for nursing excellence and among the top five percent of hospitals in the country for patient satisfaction. For more than 125 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves.