UPMC Looking To Develop Coronavirus Testing Capabilities

PITTSBURGH, PA - UPMC officials said Tuesday they are working to develop coronavirus testing capabilities as the death toll nationally from COVID-19 continues to rise.

Dr. Graham Snyder, medical director of infection prevention and hospital epidemiology at
UPMC, said that the federal Food & Drug Administration recently announced it is expanding permission for qualified labs nationally.

“We are working quickly to develop our own testing capabilities so that any cases can be identified more rapidly,” Snyder said at a news briefing at UPMC Montefiore Hospital in Oakland to outline the health care conglomerate's preparations for a potential outbreak in the region.

There have been no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Pittsburgh or in the state. Still, UPMC has established screening processes to help determine whether a patient may have contracted COVID-19. UPMC also has established a hotline hotline to answer questions and potential cases from staff.

“As an organization, we’ve had systemwide communication, whether staff are in a rural hospital or in Pittsburgh,” Snyder said. ""We’re making sure they’re prepared.”

According to Snyder, UPMC also is attempting to ensure staffers stay safe while caring for patients.

“We have a strong supply chain system in place to ensure we are receiving an adequate supply of personal protective equipment," Snyder said. “We keep a rotating stockpile in several secure locations.”