Drive-thru swabbing clinic moves

Specimen collections will be taken at the main doors of the hospital

The drive-thru site for specimen collection for COVID-19 will move on Monday, April 27, to 1200 College Drive.

Drive-thru swabbing will be offered at the main doors of Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. Also beginning Monday, the swabbing station will open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends.

“The main entrance to the hospital is easily accessible and will provide a more private setting for collection of specimens,” said Mary Fischer, Sweetwater Memorial Medical Laboratory Director.

The swabbing station opened March 14 at 3000 College Drive. As of Friday morning, more than 500 swabs have been collected.

An order from a provider is required for testing. To expedite the process, patients also can complete the Outpatient Registration Form before driving to the swabbing station. A link to the Outpatient Registration Form can be found at sweetwatermemorial.com under the COVID-19 page, as well as the Laboratory page under Services. Print it off, complete the form and bring it, along with a provider’s order, to the drive-thru swabbing station.

Once the swab for COVID-19 has been taken, it will be sent to a test site. Results could take 5 to 7 days. Just drive up to the main doors of the hospital at 1200 College Drive. Look for the signs. For swabbing information, call 307-448-7560.

The drive-thru swabbing station now will be next door to laboratory services, which moved to a new location earlier this month, Fischer said. It has a separate entrance at the Memorial Hospital Foundation offices and is not accessible through the hospital. Look for the signs to Outpatient Laboratory.

The laboratory continues to operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends. It is staffed to meet all of your needs, including full admission services. The same services you’ve received in the past will be offered, such as blood draws and collections for other medical laboratory tests.

In addition to the drive-thru swabbing, the hospital’s main entrance, which remains closed, also offers a handy spot to drop off homemade masks and gowns. Look for the sign and container at the main entrance.

“We continue to collect masks and gowns,” said Deb Sutton, Sweetwater Memorial Public Information Officer. “With limited masks available, the cloth masks are greatly appreciated.”

The hospital now requires all staff and patients to wear a mask when entering the facility, Sutton said. Patients who don’t have a mask when they arrive can borrow one of the hospital’s cloth masks to wear while they are in the facility. The mask can be dropped off when leaving so it can be properly laundered and used again.

“The generosity of seamstresses has been overwhelming,” Sutton said. “Please take time to go to the hospital’s website at sweetwatermemorial.com and take a look at the long list of thank-you’s on our COVID-19 page.”