Worcester, Shrewsbury conducting at-home coronavirus testing
Photo | Grant Welker
Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester
Emergency medical services providers in Worcester and Shrewsbury have begun in-home coronavirus testing when 911 callers indicate they have symptoms.
The step is the latest in an attempt to better gauge the spread of the pandemic in Massachusetts, which as of Thursday had 18,941 positive cases, the fifth highest nationally, at least in part because of the state's relative high rates of testing. Nearly 95,000 tests have been conducted statewide through Thursday, nearly have of which have taken place in April.
UMass Memorial Medical Center emergency medical services directors are working with paramedics in Worcester and Shrewsbury to assess patients while they're at home and determine whether they are candidates to remain at home, according to a UMass Memorial staff memo Thursday. The new protocol follows guidance by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and reduces the risk of further spread of the virus by allowing non-critical patients to stay home and not be transferred to an emergency department.
UMass Memorial paramedics are also providing testing to the city's homeless and providing transport to ambulatory symptomatic patients to a coronavirus-designated shelter from one that is not. That step is meant to free up emergency department capacity.
The at-home testing joins other steps being taken in Greater Worcester to better handle an expected rush of cases in the coming few weeks during the pandemic.
[Related: Reliant adding capacity as Worcester hospitals are still able to handle coronavirus load]
The DCU Center in Worcester began accepting patients Thursday, with the convention center space dedicated to less-severe cases. Reliant Medical Group also said Thursday it is opening a temporary observation unit for other health needs at its ReadyMED urgent care site on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester to relieve pressure on overcrowded emergency departments.
Dr. Michael Hirsh, the medical director of the Worcester Division of Public Health, said Wednesday that UMass Memorial and Saint Vincent hospitals have so far been able to accommodate coronavirus patients. That has been due in large part to both hospitals shifting intensive care unit beds to open up dedicated areas for coronavirus patients and by ending most elective procedures and screenings.
Worcester's two community health care centers, the Family Health Center of Worcester and Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, are working to better care for less-severe coronavirus patients to take pressure off the acute-care hospitals, Hirsh said.
Worcester County had a reported 1,461 cases as of Thursday, according to the state Department of Public Health. The 165 new cases were the most in a single day in Worcester County yet.
The city of Worcester has reported 482 cases, including 44 in intensive care at either UMass Memorial or Saint Vincent.
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