Specialized Pods Help Adena Carry Curbside Testing Through Winter Months

Continuing to build on safety and convenience initiatives for patients utilizing Adena’s testing services, new structures outside Adena Urgent Care - Western Avenue and Adena Wellness Center - West, both in Chillicothe, have been pressed into use for the winter months to keep curbside testing going.

The structures, known as ootBoxes, resemble a small office measuring only about 10 feet by 8 feet, but what they bring in terms of convenience for patients and staff far exceeds their size.

“It just makes it a true drive-up service where, right now, our caregivers have been going out in the elements and having to locate the patient’s car—make, model and color,” said Jessica Matheny, Adena Service Line Director for Urgent Care & Occupational Health. “This allows for a more organized and centralized area to provide these curbside types of services.’”

Adena Urgent Care - Western Avenue, located at 55 Centennial Boulevard, recently began operating out of two of the structures, one to handle curbside lab draws and the second to deal with all curbside COVID-19 and point-of-care tests that are presented to the Urgent Care. 

Taneka Willis, who manages Adena Urgent Care - Western Avenue, said 15 parking spots have been designated for lab work and Urgent Care needs through the ootBoxes, but if those spots are filled, patients can use any of the other parking spaces in the lot. From their parked car, patients will call to register for lab draws or any other outpatient services. During the call, they will be asked if they would like to come inside the main building for service or if they would prefer a curbside option.

Those choosing a curbside option will complete the registration process over the phone and their information will be sent electronically to the appropriate ootBox. When the lab technician has the patient as being next on the list, the patient will be called and asked to pull up to the ootBox for the blood draw. The phlebotomist would then go through the usual identity and order verifications, draw blood and send the patient on their way.

Willis said the process should help with patient flow at a Western Avenue location that this year has regularly experienced daily patient counts far higher than prior to the pandemic, with its peak hitting over 150 patients in a single day for just its Urgent Care services. When lab and other ancillary services are included, the Western Avenue location is serving an average of between 350 to 375 patients daily. 

“When we started curbside draws earlier this year, we were lined up all the way down the street,” Willis said. “Now using the curbside parking spots, we can have people parked in those spots and can move pretty quickly having two phlebotomists inside the ootBox ordering (labs) or drawing (blood).”A similar process is being used for other Urgent Care services as well. Patients can visit  Urgent Care to find estimated wait times at each location. They also can then click to reserve an arrival time at their chosen Urgent Care to help with scheduling, similar to putting your name on a wait list at a restaurant.

Upon arrival, patients will park and call the number on the sign. If they haven’t pre-scheduled a time online, they will be added to the queue at that time. Patients will then be registered and, when nurses are ready for the patient, a phone call will be made to the patient with instructions to pull up to the ootBox for their testing needs.

For more about Adena Health System, visit us at adena.org, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram,or Twitter @adenamedical.