Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont will be transitioning the care of outpatients with COVID-19 symptoms to a temporary respiratory clinic located in an unused clinical space adjacent to the main clinic.
With added screening and safety measures in place, patients with COVID-19 symptoms have been treated in the traditional Urgent Care setting, and testing for COVID-19 has been done at the drive-up testing site. Once minor renovations are completed to the vacant clinic area, outpatients with COVID-19 symptoms will be both tested and treated there.
“Once the space is ready in late June, the plan will be to use this new clinic for caring for patients presenting with COVID-19 symptoms. Then, in the future, we will plan to use the space permanently for Urgent Care,” says Amy Long, Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont administrator. “The timing of the change-over to Urgent Care will depend entirely on the needs and trajectory of the COVID-19 response.”
The project consists of new flooring, paint and removal of a bathroom to allow for appropriate safety exits. The Fairmont Community Hospital Foundation is funding the project.
“We are very grateful to the foundation for its generosity and continued support of our campus,” says Long.
Data indicates the need for COVID-19 testing will continue over an extended period of time. Because of this, and for the comfort of our patients, several Mayo Clinic Health System sites have implemented plans to embed testing in standard operating processes, which requires more permanent locations than drive-up sites.
Mayo Clinic Health System is committed to the safety of all and has implemented enhanced safety processes at all campuses for COVID-19 testing.
Patients who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should call their primary care clinic. If a provider or nurse determines a patient meets criteria for testing, they will be directed to a designated testing site.
Visit mayoclinichealthsystem.org/covid19 for the most up to date information on COVID-19.