MetroHealth Announces COVID-19 Testing Capability
Cleveland – The MetroHealth System can now test COVID-19 samples at our laboratory with results available after just two hours, making it the first hospital in the state of Ohio with this technology.
The decision whether or not to test lies with MetroHealth’s Infection Prevention doctors.
“Supplies are very limited, and testing at this time must be reserved for the hospitalized patients who are critically ill and those who have had direct contact with them,” said MetroHealth CEO and President Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE.
“People who have mild to moderate symptoms are encouraged to call MetroHealth’s hotline: 440-59-COVID (440-592-6843),” Dr. Boutros said.
The MetroHealth System is working with its vendors to obtain the supplies needed to expand testing. As capacity expands, MetroHealth will collaborate with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health to make testing more widely available.
MetroHealth has received more than 1,100 calls since opening the COVID hotline Friday. Nearly half of those calls resulted in a telehealth visit with a physician. Approximately 90 percent of patients who spoke with physicians were directed to self-quarantine.
Dr. Boutros reminded people that the best things they can do to prevent the spread of the virus is to wash their hands, avoid touching their face, cover their coughs, practice social distancing and avoiding crowds.
“Wash your hands and be kind,” Dr. Boutros said. “We will get through this together.”
Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
