Erlanger says coronavirus assessment site is only for employees

Staff photo by Jenna Walker/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Mar 3, 2011 -- Building mug of Erlanger Hosptial in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Staff photo by Jenna Walker/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Mar 3, 2011 -- Building mug of Erlanger Hosptial in Chattanooga, Tenn.

As the federal government works through issues on how to provide citizens with easier access to COVID-19 testing, Erlanger Health System is saying that an assessment site at the Erlanger UT Family Practice is for staff members only.

On Friday morning, the Tennessee Department of Health had posted two site locations at Erlanger that were labeled as open to Erlanger patients and staff.

WRCB reported about the two sites, which prompted a response from Erlanger saying one of the locations was not an assessment site and the one that was open was for Erlanger staff only.

Erlanger spokeswoman Jennifer Tittsworth told the Times Free Press the UT Family Practice is only an assessment site for Erlanger staff.

"Erlanger at Volkswagen Drive is not a coronavirus assessment site for staff or patients," Tittsworth said in an email. "This site will be/has been deleted from the list."

Assessment sites are different from testing sites. People are sent to assessment sites by their health care professionals after experiencing symptoms of the coronavirus. That's the only way to be assessed and eventually have samples tested in Hamilton County.

Assessment sites are used to determine if someone needs to be tested for COVID-19.

"As information regarding [the] coronavirus continues to evolve each day, Erlanger is continuing to monitor the situation and make the necessary changes based on CDC protocols and the availability of testing supplies," Tittsworth said.

The assessment sites are not operated by the Department of Health but private providers who volunteer the time and sampling equipment.

The only way someone in Hamilton County can get an assessment is by first visiting their health care provider and being sent to an assessment site by their physician.

Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.

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