Patient First now provides drive-up COVID-19 testing by appointment at its location along West Route 70 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.  The Patient First centers in East Norriton and Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, began offering testing earlier this week.

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., every day, for patients who have an urgent need for medical or injury care. 

Appointments for testing are made by calling a designated testing center.  Patients are asked about symptoms and risk factors to determine whether they meet screening criteria based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The screening criteria include meeting any of the following conditions:

• Symptoms
• You have at least one of the following:
• Coughing
• Shortness of Breath
• Difficulty Breathing
• OR you have at least two of the following:
  
  
• Fever or Fever and Chills
• Chills (without Fever)
• Sore Throat
• Fatigue
• Body Aches or Muscle Pain
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Nausea with Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of Appetite
• Loss of Smell
• Loss of Taste
  
  
• You are a healthcare worker or first responder.
• You reside in a nursing home or other congregate living facility.
• You are a cancer patient who requires COVID-19 testing before beginning or resuming treatment.
• You are required by your doctor, hospital, or outpatient surgical center to have COVID-19 testing prior to a planned surgery.
• You are required by your employer to have COVID-19 testing prior to beginning or returning to work.

Testing is scheduled between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week. 

All test samples are collected outside of the center; patients may remain in their vehicles through the entire process. The staff member collecting samples is equipped with proper personal protective equipment (PPE), including an N95 mask, gloves, eye protection, and gown. 

Samples are sent to a third-party reference lab for testing.  Results will generally be available in about 2-4 days and accessible on Patient First’s Patient Portal.  If patients do not already have a Patient First Portal Account set up, they will receive a temporary code allowing them to do so when they come in for testing.

For most insured patients, there is no out-of-pocket expense for 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 in some cases.  The lab will determine what, if anything, it bills the patient.

Appointments are not needed for visits unrelated to COVID-19 testing. 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.

Updates about testing sites, instructions about how to make an appointment, and other information are available at www.patientfirst.com/covid-19-testing.

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About Patient First

All Patient First Medical Centers are open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year, including holidays.  Patient First provides non-appointment urgent care for routine injuries and illnesses, as well as primary care for patients who do not have a regular physician.  Each Patient First center has on-site digital x-ray, on-site laboratory, and on-site prescription drugs. Patient First currently operates medical centers in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. 

Media Contact:  Jennifer Glose

(484) 387-0424 (Mobile)

jennifer.glose@patientfirst.com

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