Southeast Announces Unique COVID-19 Testing Regimes Designed to Save Lives and Get People Back to Work
Cape Girardeau, MO - SoutheastHEALTH has announced its laboratory in Cape Girardeau has been verified to perform COVID-19 rapid result molecular and serology testing, for fast turnaround times, quicker clinical response and reduced quarantine time, thus lowering the risk of transmission to others.
Southeast Laboratory team has worked closely with three national testing companies to bring these capabilities to Southeast’s Laboratory. These advanced options will allow in-house COVID-19 processing and the ability to enter these results directly into the patient’s ‘mySeHEALTH’ electronic medical record. The most critical and highly suspicion tests will receive priority. Result time will depend on volume. However, most test results will be returned in a few hours and inpatient tests that are considered urgent based on the patient’s condition can be returned within an hour.
In the upcoming weeks, Southeast will communicate additional services utilizing these advanced testing options for community and employer groups requiring workforce screenings to further assist in getting their businesses operational again.
“We are incredibly proud of the teamwork involved in making this happen so quickly. This will benefit our patients, health care workers and the general public. The health and safety of our patients and communities are of the utmost importance to Southeast,” said Ken Bateman, President and CEO of SoutheastHEALTH. “We hope the addition of more testing capabilities that expedite results will calm worries and jumpstart this community’s economic engine again.”
“Thanks to my team’s extensive background in disease pathology, we have the expertise and resources to accomplish this,” said George Wettach, MD, Medical Director of Southeast Laboratory Services. “Getting this completed so quickly took amazing teamwork by our laboratory staff. We all are working together in the best interest of patients and residents of southeast Missouri. With any new test platform, there is a rigorous validation process, making sure the equipment provides accurate and timely results for our patients,” noted Wettach.
All completed test results will be sent to the state for COVID-19 reporting purposes. Patients with positive test results will be contacted with instructions on how to care for themselves at home, symptom management and when to contact a healthcare provider if symptoms worsen.
Southeast’s Laboratory in part was chosen to be the first lab in the southeast region to obtain this advanced testing, due to their expansive outreach lab footprint, currently serving over 680 clients in 10 states across southeast region of the U.S. In addition, SoutheastHEALTH provides services for over 50 employer group with direct contracts supporting over 30,000 covered lives in southeast Missouri.
To learn more about Southeast’s ongoing strategies to address COVID-19 visit sehealth.org/COVID19.
About SoutheastHEALTH
At SoutheastHEALTH, the region's premier healthcare system in southeast Missouri, our patients receive excellent care of the highest clinical quality, close to home. Within our network are more than 50 care locations in 13 communities, including hospitals, primary and specialty care clinics representing over 30 clinical specialties and extending care for patients in a four-state area. Learn more at SEhealth.org.
