Tift Regional Medical Center reopens COVID drive-thru testing; TRMC and Southwell facilities reinstate no visitor policy
Tift Regional Medical Center reopened its COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at the Tift Regional Community Events Center in Tifton on Wednesday, December 30th and Southwell facilities, including Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) in Tifton and Southwell Medical in Adel, will reinstate a no visitor policy.
“Like most healthcare systems around the state and country, we are seeing a spike in COVID-19 patients,” said Alex Le, Chief Operating Officer. “During the past few months, we averaged about 20 COVID-19 inpatients per day at TRMC. Now, as we are in the heart of the holiday season, we are up to 78 COVID-19 inpatients at TRMC. In addition, the TRMC emergency department and all of Southwell Facilities have seen a sizable influx of patients under evaluation for COVID-19. We are reopening the drive-thru testing site and instituting the no visitor policy to help us meet these challenges.”
Drive-Thru Testing
The COVID-19 drive-thru testing site is located at the Tift Regional Community Events Center, 1657 South Carpenter Road, Tifton, Georgia. The hours of operation Monday through Friday are 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 pm. Patients are asked to bring identification.
“Once patients arrive at the drive-thru testing site, we ask that they follow the directional signage,” said Le. “Patients will remain in their vehicle for the test.”
Le added that although the Tift Regional Community Events Center is adjacent to the Tiftarea YMCA, the YMCA is separate from the COVID-19 drive-thru and will continue to operate as normal. The YMCA is not being used for COVID-19 testing, follows CDC guidelines, and strives to remain a safe space for all of its members.
The drive-thru clinic is recommended for patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms. Those who require treatment for COVID-19 symptoms that require urgency, but are not an emergency, are encouraged to visit one of the following convenient care clinics: ExpressCare in Tifton or Southwell Medical Adel Primary Care in Adel. Patients who require emergency treatment should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
No Visitor Policy
Beginning Wednesday, December 30th, visitation is suspended at all Southwell facilities, including Tift Regional Medical Center and Southwell Medical.
“We recognize that support from friends and family can play a positive role in the healing process,” said Le. “We encourage all friends and family to utilize other forms of communication, including phone and video calls on cell phones and mobile devices. We also have patient representatives on-hand to provide assistance in communicating with patients as well.”
Le said there are some exceptions to the no visitor rule. Obstetric patients may have one partner during their stay; patients who are under the age of 18 may have two parents or guardians; patients undergoing surgery or a procedure may have one visitor on-site during the actual procedure/surgery; and the patient’s attending physician can order a special exception as appropriate.
“We are following public health agency recommendations to strive to create a safe environment for the communities we serve,” said Le. “We apologize for any inconvenience the no visitor policy may cause, but we hope that the drive-thru testing makes its more efficient and convenient for local residents to get tested.”
