Paramedics support community-based assessment, COVID-19 testing
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Oxford County Paramedic Services launched a new community-based assessment and testing program for COVID-19 on Friday.
The program will see trained paramedics go out into the community to test individuals who cannot otherwise get to an assessment centre.
Residents are received into the program by referral after an initial assessment by a primary healthcare provider, Southwestern Public Health, or the Woodstock Hospital COVID-19 Assessment Centre after first completing a self-assessment at www.covid19checkup.ca.
“That is the normal stream that most people would follow to get assessment testing done through either Southwestern Public Health or the hospital assessment centres,” said Ben Addley, Chief of Paramedic Services, Oxford County. “They would, either through their primary care physician or calling the assessment centre directly, book an appointment to get tested.
“It is an avenue to get access to our remote testing as well, too, for individuals in the community that have done the assessment… are showing some signs of the COVID-19 illness… and would like to get checked out.
“That is the primary method, but we do have some alternate routes for people to get into our system as well.”
Those eligible for the program include residents of retirement communities or long-term care homes, individuals receiving palliative care at home, homeless members of the community, or those without viable access to transportation to the Woodstock Hospital COVID-19 Assessment Centre.
“Our lead physician, Dr. Rachel Orchard, has done a good job communicating out to some of the community agencies, residential homes and things like that to give them direct information. If they have a resident of their home, they can book directly with us too.
“We’re also working with Oxford County Human Services and the Oxford County Community Health Centre to get messaging out that if somebody in a shelter or a homeless person requires testing, we provide them direct access into our booking system, too,” said Addley.
Once clients are referred to the program, they will be contacted by Oxford County Paramedics to outline the next steps in the process and to arrange an at-home testing appointment where a sample will be collected. Paramedics will arrive wearing the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to conduct testing.
The program officially launched Friday following some trial runs earlier in the week.
“Our first community testing was actually on Wednesday.”
The Oxford County Paramedic Services assessment and testing program will continue as long as it is needed in the community.
“We’re planning for it to probably be about four months, to start with, but it all depends on how the pandemic transpires itself. If volume continues on for a significant amount of time, where Public Health wants to continue alternate testing, then we’ll probably lengthen the program, too.”
Results may take up to 10 days for processing, after which Southwestern Public Health will contact individuals with positive test results only. Everyone tested, however, will be able to track their results online at https://covid19results.ehealthontario.ca:4443/login.
The community-based assessment and testing program is a joint one between Oxford County Paramedic Services and local physician Dr. Rachel Orchard with support from Oxford County Community Health Centre, Southwestern Public Health and Ontario Health West.
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