Coronavirus: Cape Cod Healthcare Limits Testing Due To Demand

FALMOUTH, MA — Cape Cod Healthcare has rolled out new restrictions on its drive-thru testing site for the new coronavirus.

Because of overwhelming demand for COVID-19 testing, hospital officials revised their policy about physicians being able to order testing for patients. Effective Friday, a physician must have affiliated status with Cape Cod Healthcare to submit a patient's order for drive-thu testing. Doctors outside the network won't be allowed to submit orders for testing.

"By limiting the ability to order testing to physicians in the Cape Cod Healthcare network, the health care system will be better able to meet the needs of the community," hospital officials said in a statement.

People without a primary care physician who are experiencing symptoms, including fever, coughing or shortness of breath, should call 508-862-5595, and they will be screened for COVID-19 testing with a Cape Cod Healthcare clinical provider over the phone phone. If testing is required, the clinical provider will follow the same process of submitting the doctor’s order to the testing team, and the patient will be called with a testing appointment time.

If you are experiencing serious symptoms and do not have a primary care doctor, visit one of the triage tents outside Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital

Hospital officials said getting tested for the new coronavirur requires screening, a doctor's order and an appointment at the testing site at Cape Cod Community College. Those that show up without appointments will be turned away.

Testing priority is based on a need-based system with the following criteria:

• Travel related issues (i.e. visiting China, Italy, etc.)
• Having lower respiratory symptoms such as cough, sneezing and other flu-like symptoms
• Age. The older a patient is, the more at risk they are to have a negative outcome with the virus.
• Cancer, diabetes and other health complications
• Immune system complications

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