topic Re: Doctor's order for CV test? in Community Chat

Doctor's order for CV test?

BrandiDavis — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:15:48 GMT

So, I've noticed that most of the drive up testing facilities are requiring that you have a dr's order PLUS meet the criteria in order to be tested (fever, sob, cough)

That is absolutely insane imo! To require someone to go into a drs office, possibly infect others (if they are positive) just to have a "order"...(paperwork)...To me it seems like a total waste of time and especially during a crisis like this where people's LIVES are at stake and you cannot even get a test without first seeing a doctor? It's just not right. If you meet the criteria (temp of 100.4 or over, cough, sob) then you should be tested. NO If's, and's or but's about it!

Thoughts?

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

MalteseMomma — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:19:52 GMT

If we have to get a Drs order for the test,why can't the Doctor do it while you are there getting an order????

.............dhhhhhhh............

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

suzyQ3 — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:28:09 GMT

If everyone showed up, it would be a nightmare. Our testing system is woefully lacking for now. We simply don't have enough tests, so they have to prioritize.

Check with your doctor first. Many are doing phone visitations or virtual meetings.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Travone — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:29:28 GMT

@BrandiDavisseems like whatever state or city you live in is quite backward. In my city you DO have to have a doctor's order, but you don't go to the doctor's office to get it. In fact, just the opposite, they are asking people to CALL their doctor's not go into the offices and perhaps infect other people. Your doctor will then electronically write up an order and tell you which drive throughs you can go to. When you go to the drive though you hold up your driver's license to the window. The nurse/technician can then call up your order. When you get to the front of the line you then roll down your window and they administer the test.

The reason you have to have a doctor's order is because the number of tests available and the numbers of workers are limited. They can't have everyone show up to be tested when they are not exhibiting any symptoms.

It's the chicken little syndrome...everyone is giving out bad information and those gullible enough to believe it think they have the virus and insist on being tested.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Porcelain — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:32:43 GMT

There. Aren't. Enough. Tests.

Right now, we can't do the things we should do and need to do because there are still not enough tests. I have no idea who is actually working on it. I know Italy, of all places, just sent us some to try to help us out.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

brandiwine — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:37:13 GMT

Does it really matter if you do or don't have it? They can't do anything except tell you to drink fluids, stay home, and take Tylenol unless you can't breathe. All this testing does is give the fear mongers data to scare more people. Calm down and use some common sense.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

CelticCrafter — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:39:05 GMT

THERE.AREN'T.ENOUGH.TEST.KITS!

Those that truly need them should be a priority, not sports players, not entertainers, not anyone that has a little sniffle or very LOW grade fever of 100.4.

In this day and age of cyber/app/internet everything, I'm pretty sure the doctor can send something to your cell phone via app.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

JustJazzmom — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:39:18 GMT

If your home printer has fax capability, the doctor's order can be faxed to you.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Porcelain — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 18:06:42 GMT

@brandiwine wrote:
Does it really matter if you do or don't have it? They can't do anything except tell you to drink fluids, stay home, and take Tylenol unless you can't breathe. All this testing does is give the fear mongers data to scare more people. Calm down and use some common sense.

It matters because if you have it, you will spread it to others. If you have it and feel fine and don't know it and don't isolate yourself, you are contributing to disease and death. So it matters.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

suzyQ3 — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:42:42 GMT

@brandiwine wrote:
Does it really matter if you do or don't have it? They can't do anything except tell you to drink fluids, stay home, and take Tylenol unless you can't breathe. All this testing does is give the fear mongers data to scare more people. Calm down and use some common sense.

@brandiwine, yes, it does matter. We desperately need more test kits.

Some reasons why it's so important to get tested if you have the symptoms: If you test positive, then all with whom you've been in contact can be alerted; you will need to quarantine yourself; numbers are essential to gauge our progress (up or down) during a pandemic.

I'm sure I've missed some.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

SilleeMee — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:46:09 GMT

Our test site has always required a doctor's order. You'll get turned away even before you get to the long line of cars there. They have it set up with cops all around to make sure everyone there stays in order.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Hoovermom — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:46:16 GMT

Here's what is being done in my city:

March 19, 2020 at 5:00 a.m. CDT
On Sunday, Alabama’s largest church stopped its in-person worship services. By Tuesday, it started hosting drive-through coronavirus tests in one of its parking lots.
In the span of just two days, doctors in Birmingham tested 977 people from across the state by using the parking lot and volunteers from Church of the Highlands, according to Dr. Robert Record, who is helping to lead the effort. The drive-through effort at one of America’s largest churches is part of a larger nationwide push for more information about coronavirus as more testing locations began to pop up this week.
The number of confirmed cases for coronavirus in Alabama as of Tuesday was 39, 21 of which were in Jefferson County where Church of the Highlands is located, according to website. On Tuesday, the testing at the church confirmed eight positive coronavirus cases, Record said. With testing still in short supply but in high demand, patients must have symptoms to be tested.

“We navigate how sick they are,” he said. “One of our goals is that people not go into a doctor’s office and not go into a hospital if they don’t have to.”
During the testing, a doctor speaks with patients through a cellphone and evaluates them through the car window. On Tuesday, he said, two people seemed to be in respiratory distress, and they sent them to the hospital; one was put on a respirator there.

Patients don’t roll down the window until the very last 30 seconds where someone in protective gear swabs them. Those with health care are billed through their insurance; others do not have to pay for the test.
“You show up, you’ll be treated like the most affluent person in the world,” Record said. “In the next few weeks, we’ll find out how to pay for it later.”

Awesome job they have been doing. Look at the numbers in this post.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

JustJazzmom — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:51:37 GMT

@suzyQ3 wrote:
@brandiwine wrote:
Does it really matter if you do or don't have it? They can't do anything except tell you to drink fluids, stay home, and take Tylenol unless you can't breathe. All this testing does is give the fear mongers data to scare more people. Calm down and use some common sense.
@brandiwine, yes, it does matter. We desperately need more test kits.

Some reasons why it's so important to get tested if you have the symptoms: If you test positive, then all with whom you've been in contact can be alerted; you will need to quarantine yourself; numbers are essential to gauge our progress (up or down) during a pandemic.

I'm sure I've missed some.

Another reason is for testing is to determine 'hot spots' or 'clusters'. Last night the NYT Science editor/reporter was on the Maddow Show discussing smart thermometers that upload data to a website that showed the data as predictors of increasing flu cases & when it was suggested the CDC start to use this to track CV cases, the CDC refused to use this technology as they wanted the private company to just give it to them without monetary compensation.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

CrazyDaisy — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 18:06:38 GMT

Simple question.....what would you differently if you were tested than you are doing now?

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Lipstickdiva — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 18:13:41 GMT

We have people calling 911 because they ran out of toilet paper. We absolutely cannot have every person who feels the need going to get tested. We already don't have enough tests and lines are long. Can you imagine. People with a sniffle will want a test.

There are protocols in place as to what you are supposed to do if you are sick. But I imagine there are a lot of uninformed people who don't know what those are and are walking right into the EDs and doctor's offices even though you aren't supposed to do that.

If I feel ill, I'll go into quarantine. I have no plan on seeing a doctor unless I would get really ill. The rule of thumb is what would you have done 6 months ago before you knew about this virus? If you felt crummy and would have stayed home and laid low, that's what you should do now.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Lipstickdiva — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 18:10:24 GMT

@MalteseMomma wrote:
If we have to get a Drs order for the test,why can't the Doctor do it while you are there getting an order????

.............dhhhhhhh............

@MalteseMomma, doctor's offices don't have tests.

I work on the same campus as a Cleveland Clinic facility. They are doing no testing there. They are sending people to the main campus in Cleveland which is 35 miles east of us.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Porcelain — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 18:15:22 GMT

A worker at an Amazon facility tested positive, I believe yesterday. Can you imagine if he had been denied a test? If he had been denied, we wouldn't know. There goes that part of the supply chain we all rely on. It really is a serious issue.

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/amazon-handling-first-covid-19-case-fulfillment-system-n-y-worker-tests-positive/

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Kachina624 — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 18:17:25 GMT

Thats not the way it is here. They don't want people in doctor's offices. You call a health department number to get pre-screened and if appropriate, you're referred to a drive in screening and test facility where you're screened again and possibly tested.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Lipstickdiva — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 18:19:16 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
Thats not the way it is here. They don't want people in doctor's offices. You call a health department number to get pre-screened and if appropriate, you're referred to a drive in screening and test facility where you're screened again and possibly tested.

Some offices here are doing virtual appointments. Other offices are referring people to the county health department and those departments are testing.

Re: Doctor's order for CV test?

Emma Bunting — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 18:30:39 GMT

@Porcelain wrote:
@brandiwine wrote:
Does it really matter if you do or don't have it? They can't do anything except tell you to drink fluids, stay home, and take Tylenol unless you can't breathe. All this testing does is give the fear mongers data to scare more people. Calm down and use some common sense.
It matters because if you have it, you will spread it to others. If you have it and feel fine and don't know it and don't isolate yourself, you are contributing to disease and death. So it matters.

If you're sick...you should just assume it's the corronavirus and self isolate. This should be true for any illness, actually. Call your doctor......describe your symptoms......and your doctor will decide if your condition warrants a test. Can you imagine what would happen if the tests were offered to everyone, regardless? You'd have a stampede to the testing sites that would cause MORE spread of the virus. Use your head, people.