Covid 19: FY 2020 Expanding Capacity for Coronavirus Testing (ECT)

University of Kentucky Research Foundation H8ECS38719 Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the North Fork Valley Community Health Center (NFV) has worked tirelessly to continue to care for our patients and prepare for the unthinkable – the surge and rapid increase in the number of coronavirus patients in our service area. Much work has gone into creating a safe environment for staff and patients alike. Telehealth capability, with the help of HRSA COVID-19 funding, was rapidly put into place moving all services from a face-to-face format to telehealth. Workflows to provide patient services have been totally revamped to support the new format. Drive through locations have been established outside our clinics to provide services to patients who do not have access to the technology required for telehealth visits. It is the desire of the North Fork Valley Community Health Center to increase and expand testing availability in our area. Planned activities are to open up universal testing at both the Hazard and Hindman medical clinic locations. Additionally, we seek to expand testing to our most vulnerable populations. Our main target will be those who participate in the Kentucky Needle Exchange Program (https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/hab/Pages/kyseps.aspx) through our regional health department. Through collaboration with the Kentucky River Regional Health Department we will target for testing those who use intravenous drugs. It is our goal to reach this high risk population that might otherwise go untested. Goals for testing are 3,000 tests at each of our two clinical sites in addition to 1,000 tests in collaboration with the Kentucky River District Health Department. Although the tests themselves are currently very difficult, if not impossible to secure, we will seek to purchase a rapid test system for same day resulting. Currently results can be available in 24 hours. In addition to increasing testing for this vulnerable population, we have agreed with University of Kentucky Healthcare (UKHC) to be a pre-procedural test site for patients in our area that will be having procedures performed at the main campus hospital located in Lexington. Prior to any procedure, patients are required to be tested for COVID-19 between 72 and 96 hours before the procedure. For most in our area, this would require an extra trip to Lexington which would mean an entire day to make the round trip to Lexington and back. Our service will eliminate a great burden to many patients and eliminate any barrier to transportation for care.