Trinity Free Clinic Rounds Out First Month as a COVID-19 Testing Site
Lead Test Tech Carol Denniger swabs Patient Intake Specialist Maite Garcia-Arone for COVID-19.
You may be surprised to learn that there are currently only nine sites in Hamilton County for COVID-19 testing. With flu and cold season looming and many businesses requiring their employees to get weekly COVID-19 testing, demand for testing by the county’s 340,000 residents is expected to steadily increase. At the end of September, Trinity Free Clinic began offering COVID-19 testing six days a week, primarily during late afternoon and evening hours. In just one month, we tested over 670 patients.
“At the onset of the pandemic, Trinity responded quickly with increased safety protocols and telemedicine options, which allowed us to continue patient care during these challenging times,” said Executive Director Mel Wischmeyer. “Partnering with the Hamilton County Health Department to provide onsite COVID-19 testing seemed like the next logical step. We’re excited to serve the entire Hamilton County community with convenient test times and to continue serving as a trusted source of care and education for our vulnerable populations.”
Trinity Free Clinic is grateful to have had the support of our community for the past 20 years. Available space in our facility and loyal volunteers uniquely position us to be able to offer COVID-19 testing to Hamilton County families. In addition to serving the community at large, we are hoping that having a familiar facility as an option will encourage our regular patients to seek testing if they need it.
According to Director of Medical Operations, Cindy Love, “Trinity Free Clinic will serve all Hamilton County residents, but we know that many of our patients are working in areas which are high risk for Covid exposure. It is difficult for patients to take off time during the day for testing, with our evening and Saturday hours access will be much easier. Patients who are familiar with TFC will be very comfortable coming to the clinic to receive the testing they need to stay healthy and keep our community healthy.”
How Has COVID-19 Testing Impacted Patient Care?
By adding two part-time employees to our staff, Trinity Free Clinic has managed to add this new vital service without compromising our care to our patients. Our waiting room has been divided in half, with one side partitioned for a separate space for COVID-19 testing to separate potentially ill patients from our regular patients. In addition, we are continuing to see medical, dental, and vision patients by appointment only so that we can limit the number of patients in the waiting room at any one time. HEPA air filters throughout our facility are also being used to constantly circulate and refresh the air flow. We have also received electrostatic disinfectant sprayers that allow us to disinfect every surface in the clinic regularly.
Patient Intake Specialist, Midialys Crespo Hernandez, prepares to disinfect the COVID testing area with an electrostatic sprayer. The electrostatic sprayer positively charges the disinfectant solution so that the resulting mist clings to and evenly coats all surfaces, allowing for more thorough disinfecting of the COVID-19 testing area.
All materials and funding for the COVID testing have been provided by the Hamilton County and Indiana State Health Departments. This includes volunteer PPE, hand sanitizer, iPads, printers, coolers, testing supplies, and much more. We are grateful local government and health departments are funding this vital initiative, because it means that clinic funds that are meant to serve our patients will not be diverted to implement COVID testing.
Although we have served under-resourced families in Hamilton County for twenty years, much of our community awareness is due to word of mouth. It is our hope that as more Hamilton County residents visit our facility for COVID testing, more families will discover that we are here to support them when they are in need. Many local families have lost their access to medical, dental, and vision care for the first time due to job loss. It is our hope that we will be able to reach more of these families while they manage this difficult time and ensure that they have the care they need as we head into flu and cold season.
How Can You Get Involved?
Trinity Free Clinic will be offering COVID testing Monday through Wednesday, 4 – 8 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. If you would like to volunteer to help offer this vital service in our community, please email Lisa Curry at Lisa@TrinityFreeClinic.org.
Volunteers will receive all necessary training and full medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE), including gown, mask, face shield, and gloves. We are looking for both medically-trained volunteers to swab patients, as well as non-medical volunteers who can check in and register patients.
If you find that you need COVID-19 testing and would like to have your testing done at Trinity Free Clinic, please visit https://scheduling.coronavirus.in.gov/. Click on “I don’t have an Invitation Code”, enter your zip code or the clinic zip code (46032) to search for the testing site closest to you, and then schedule an appointment under the W 146th St Suite B Hamilton Co option.
Patient Intake Specialist Andrea Alarcon checks a patient in for COVID-19 testing.