COVID-19 Testing at TriHealth

Pre-Surgical/Procedural Testing Requirement Update as of June 1, 2022

With the recent steady decline in COVID19 cases in the region , and the increasing proportion of vulnerable individuals receiving COVID19 vaccines, TriHealth has updated our criteria for pre-procedural/pre-surgical COVID-19 testing.

Click here to download the criteria (pdf)

Click for Access to COVID-19 Assessment & Care(pdf)

Evaluación de COVID-19 Acceso a la atención(pdf)

COVID-19 Testing Information and Criteria

In addition to processing our own COVID-19 tests, we work with several outside lab partners to help us manage the testing required for TriHealth to deliver on its promise to care for the health of our population. Because testing capacity is so severely limited for private health systems, we will continue to require the following criteria to receive a test at TriHealth:

1. Physician order;
2. Symptomatic (asymptomatic patients will be tested as part of our increased safety protocol for pre-surgical screening, or if they have a physician order).
3. TriHealth emergency departments will provide a test without a doctor’s order, per CDC guidelines that require you to actively display symptoms of COVID-19 (fever equal to or greater than 100.4 °, cough, shortness of breath, recent direct exposure to a COVID-19 positive person).

Note: The cost of the test varies, depending on your insurance coverage. A copay may be collected at the time of testing.

COVID-19 Testing Procedures

Depending on your needs, the following guidelines will help you understand COVID-19 testing available at TriHealth:

• Pre-Op testing for surgery and endoscopy:
• If ordered by a TPP physician, testing may be performed at any of our TPP PCP offices. Patient should be instructed to call their PCP’s office to schedule this collection.
• In addition to TPP PCP offices, pre-op testing for surgery/procedures should be directed to Arrow Springs, Anderson, Good Samaritan, BNOI, Western Ridge (Entrance A), Butler, McCullough Hyde, or Evendale.
• Symptomatic patient seeking evaluation at a care location:
• You may schedule an appointment with your PCP;
• Or go to at TriHealth Priority Care, TriHealth Emergency Department or TriHealth Clinic at Walgreens.
• Note that all of these options will result in charges for a full visit at the current visit rate for each respective facility, and there is no “COVID-19 test only” service available at TriHealth facilities.
• Asymptomatic patients, with the exception of patients tested through our community program in Lincoln Heights:
• You will not be tested unless you have a physician order.

See below for full list of testing locations.

Maternity COVID Testing Policy (Effective June 1, 2021)

With the steady decline in COVID-19 cases in the region over the past month, and the increasing proportion of vulnerable individuals receiving COVID-19 vaccines, the Maternity leadership approved the following changes in protocols at TriHealth, effective 6/1/2021:

.A negative/not detected COVID-19 test will NOT be required prior to delivery if the patient meets the following criteria:

• No symptoms of COVID-19
• Completion of a vaccination series SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 more than 15 days prior to the day of delivery (ex: if series completed on 4/1, day 15 = 4/15).
  • A vaccination series is defined as all recommended vaccines administered per the manufacturer
    • Pfizer and Moderna - 2 shot series
    • Johnson and Johnson - 1 shot
• Documentation of the vaccination series, which includes one of the following:
  • Completed CDC vaccination card or photo of card with 2nd form of identification
  • Documentation in TriHealth Epic (including Care Everywhere) of completed vaccination series

Other Considerations

• Physicians/Providers will maintain the authority to order COVID-19 testing on patients under their care, which includes but is not limited to:
  • Patients who HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED
  • High-risk procedures 
  • Patients w/recent exposure to COVID-19-positive individuals
  • Symptomatic patients, regardless of vaccine status
  • Immune suppressed individuals who may not respond to vaccines
• Physicians/Providers intending to order COVID-19 testing prior to delivery will make every effort to direct the patient to be collected and tested 72-96 hours prior to a scheduled delivery or at the time of an admission for a non-scheduled delivery, which is the same as the current testing practice.

For maternity patients who HAVE NOT received their COVID-19 vaccine series, the following protocols remain in place.

• Patients who are scheduled for a Cesarean Delivery or Induction of Labor must have COVID-19 testing completed 72-96 hours prior to the scheduled date.
• You are encouraged to schedule testing to allow time for test results to be processed before your admission. If results are not received, due to weekend lag times, you may be asked to retest upon arrival at the hospital.
• Your OB provider will place an order and direct you to the nearest TriHealth testing location.
• All other patients will be tested upon presentation for delivery once admitted.
• Patients who refuse testing will be treated as COVID-positive.
  • Patients who decline testing will be unable to visit an infant that is admitted to the Special Care Nursery or NICU for at least 10 days.
  • Patients who decline testing will be unable to use the nursery and baby will remain in the room with the mother.
  • Patients who decline testing will receive meals on special trays per COVID protocols.
  • Patients who decline testing and request circumcision will not be able to access the nursery, and an alternate room location will be arranged.
• If you have tested COVID-positive (documented test result in chart) within the past three months and continue to be symptom-free, you will not need to be retested at the time of delivery.
  

Our Commitment to Safety

Testing is an essential strategy to slow the spread of COVID-19, but like our many other limited and finite resources, we must remain conservative in our use of testing so we can preserve supplies for the future. This has always been a delicate balance to maintain, and we are committed to evaluating our processes and strategy regularly so we can continue providing the safest care possible and serving our community.

Thank you for trusting TriHealth for all your healthcare needs. We wish you continued health and wellness!

Pre-Op Testing Locations