Health Care District Reports on Successful First Day of Drive-thru testing in Palm Beach County

UPDATE:  Please note that temporarily, the screening hotline is not accepting additional calls.  The goal is to reopen the phone lines Thursday morning, April 2nd  at 8:00 a.m. if Palm Beach County receives additional test kits. Thank you for your patience.

The first day of drive-thru testing of pre-screened patients for COVID-19 in Palm Beach County was a success, thanks to the efforts and dedication of a 20-member clinical team with the Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s C. L. Brumback Primary Clinics, Health Care District support staff, Palm Beach County’s Department of Emergency Management and the Florida Army National Guard. Of the 281 patients who were scheduled for appointments, 255 were tested. The average age of the patients tested was 52.  Six children were tested with the youngest 10 years of age.  Nearly 500 more appointments for testing are scheduled daily at the FITTeam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. All testing appointments are currently booked through Saturday. When receive additional test kits, we will resume scheduling appointments.

“We are incredibly impressed by how smoothly this flowed,” said Darcy J. Davis, Health Care District CEO In an afternoon media briefing. “I know there are a lot of scared and hopefully now grateful patients as we start to ramp up our operations.”

The test results are expected within five to six days. A provider will contact each patient by phone with test results regardless if the result is positive or negative.  The Health Care District’s COVID-19 Screening Center received 50-thousand calls in the first hour this morning. Callers are being asked to please be patient and expect delays because of the high call volume. Representatives are screening callers for symptoms per CDC criteria. The Health Care District is evaluating possible testing operations for Saturday, April 4, 2020 and will continue scheduling appointments as long as there is a need for testing and there are additional test kits and supplies. The number to call to be pre-screened for an appointment for testing is 561-642-1000.

For additional news coverage, click the links below:

WPBF News 3-31-20
Palm Beach Post 3-31-20
Palm Beach County Channel 20 Media Briefing of First Day of Testing 3-31-20