Baptist Health Passes 100,000 COVID-19 Tests

As of July 31, Baptist Health has conducted over 100,000 COVID-19 tests. 

Systemwide, across its eight hospitals, physician offices, and other provider and outpatient locations, Baptist Health has conducted 102,013 tests as of July 31. The number compares to 621,206 tests conducted throughout Kentucky (as of July 30), as reported by the Kentucky Department for Public Health, making Baptist Health's percentage of testing across the Commonwealth nearly 15 percent.

"Testing has been, and continues to be a challenge since the early days of COVID-19 in our communities," Gerard Colman, Baptist Health system CEO, said. "But throughout, Baptist has used all of the resources at our disposal to help address the issue of testing across all of the areas we are privileged to serve. Testing allows us to identify patients with COVID-19, a crucial step in keeping them, and our caregivers, safe.

"To ensure employee and patient safety, Baptist Health has worked every avenue at our disposal to procure testing from numerous vendors across the country, while carefully vetting the quality to deliver consistent, accurate results for those in our care," Debbie Taffer the System Executive Director of Laboratory Services said.

Baptist Health led in testing throughout our communities from the start of the pandemic in both our hospitals, as well as our outpatient settings. Since opening testing centers in multiple Urgent Care Centers across Baptist Health's service area in Kentucky and Southern Indiana on March 16, more than 20,000 tests have been conducted for employees and community members alike.  In addition, testing further ramped up in mid-May as patients who had delayed procedures began to reschedule.

As employers across the region face similar challenges in getting employees back to work, Baptist Health is offering its experience and expertise along with customized COVID-19 testing solutions and a digital screening tool to employers. For employers who partner with Baptist Health, customized testing solutions and support can be developed – helping to ensure the safest workplace possible for those who trust their care to Baptist Health.

Baptist Health Urgent Care sites throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana are evaluating individuals who meet the screening criteria for COVID-19 and also have symptoms including a recent onset of cough, fever, shortness of breath or recent loss of taste or smell.