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"Anne Davys" Practice.Managers <Practice.Managers@wboppho.org.nz> 12/3/2020 3:26:26 PM Message about COVID swabbing from Pathlab
Dear Practice Managers Please see the following message issued from Pathlab about symptomatic and high risk COVID-19 patients presenting to Pathlab collection rooms unannounced.
“Over the past couple of weeks we have seen a significant increase in the number of patients being referred by their health provider to one of our Pathlab Collection Rooms for Covid-19 swab collection, many being either symptomatic, suspected contacts, or high risk. In most cases, these patient will present at our collection room with no prior notification, with the possibility of infecting those patients currently in our waiting rooms and our staff alike. Until now, we have dealt with these on a case by case basis, contacting the practice and a reminder given”. Pathlab request the following advice for practices; If you have a face to face appointment with a symptomatic patient, it is preferable for the swab to be taken at the point of consultation at the practice itself. If you have a face to face or virtual consult with a high risk or symptomatic patient, and you are unable to swab at point of consultation - these patients should not be referred to pathlab for a covid-19 swab without first making an appointment – patients must not present at collection rooms prior to an appointment being made. Please could you pass this on to your teams Kind regards Anne Anne Davys General Practice Liaison
PO Box 13225 Tauranga P: (07) 577-3495 M: (027) 246 9976 F: (07) 577-3191 E: anned@wboppho.org.nz This communication, including any attachments, is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you should not read it - please contact me immediately, destroy it, and do not copy or use any part of this communication or disclose anything about it. Thank you.
12/7/2020