Urgent care center in Ellenton now testing for coronavirus antibodies in drive-thru
As COVID-19 testing in Manatee County continues to lag behind that in other areas, Ellenton Urgent Care is doing what it can to close the gap.
Since beginning its own drive-thru testing outside their facility at 4015 U.S. 301, Ellenton Urgent Care has tested just more than 300 people for coronavirus, as of late Wednesday. Of the tests that have been completed, there have been 12 patients who have tested positive. About 55 test results were pending.
Ellenton Urgent Care now will begin offering rapid tests for coronavirus antibodies. A positive test shows the person had previously been infected with the virus.
“The swab is 95 percent accurate for positive, but only 60 to 70 percent accurate for a negative,” physician assistant and co-owner Alexander Petreas said. “So one thing we can do is follow up with the antibody test to confirm a negative. If you are positive, then we just take care of you symptomatically.”
The rapid tests for antibodies do not require a nasal swab as COVID-19 testing does. Instead, patients will get a finger prick and within 15 minutes will have the results.
The urgent care center got its first supply of the rapid tests on Tuesday but is easing into using them, according to co-owner and Petreas’ wife Elizabeth Young. Only three tests were performed on Wednesday, all but one was positive.
Anyone wanting to be tested still needs to call the clinic to make an appointment at 941-531-2800. Appointments are available between 8:30 a.m. and 1 pm. and were booked out for several days as of late Wednesday.
Reduce costs for testing
There won’t be any restrictions about who can get an antibodies test because the testing is currently available in bulk, according to Petreas. As the swabs, or specimen collection kits, have become more regularly available, Ellenton Urgent Care has become less restrictive with COVID-19 testing.
Those without insurance can get COVID-19 testing at Ellenton Urgent Care. Patients will be charged $75 for the office visit. Although patients are tested in the drive-thru, they can still get vitals checked, prescriptions, an excuse from work note and free 5-day followup.
“But what I am also telling them is that Medicare is only reimbursing $51 so if they get some kind of astronomical fee ... I am trying to give them some ammunition,” Petreas said.
For anyone seeking an antibodies test without insurance, the urgent care will charge $35. Anyone with insurance, will only be subject to their copay.
Ellenton Urgent Care is also looking to mimic MCR Health’s sliding scale. Beginning next week, the urgent care hopes that anyone who has lost their job or has had a reduction in their pay or hours, can be charged only half of their standard office visit fee.
They will also look to bill people 30 days out.
“We’re really trying to find ways to help people and make things reasonable so people can still get healthcare,” Petreas said.
The rapid tests are also more of a screening tool, according to Petreas.
“If you are positive for the antibodies means you have had it in the past. If you are actively with the disease right now, you won’t have a positive antibody test,” he said. “If you haven’t built the antibodies, some people it takes a couple days for the antibodies. Some people it takes four to six weeks.”
Testing criteria relaxed
As the flow of testing supplies has increased into its facility, Ellenton Urgent Care is testing more liberally.
Some insurance companies do require that a person show at least two COVID-19 symptoms or that they be at high risk of contracting the disease, such as can medical personnel or anyone who has had direct contact with someone who’s tested positive.
“They don’t want just everyone tested,” Petreas said.
But as more is learned about the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, there are new potential symptoms emerging such as “COVID toe” or diarrhea.
“I have had a few people with a COVID toed that have shown me the lesions of their toe for no explanation,” Petreas said. “Their tests are all pending so not sure about that but have seen it on the news and am doing some research on that to see if there is some validity.”
Ellenton Urgent Care continues to work with LabCorp and Quest, which have begun increasing number of specimen collection kits they provide the center. They have also begun working with a third lab, Pride Diagnostics.
“They ship the collection kits when they receive the kits back from us, so we have to rotate the labs that we’re using so we don’t run out,” Young said.
