AdventHealth COVID-19 update: Testing delays

May 16, 2020 - As a system, AdventHealth has worked hard to provide free COVID-19 testing to our communities at a time when these services are scarce.

To meet the unprecedented demand for COVID-19 testing, we rely on nationally accredited third-party labs to assist us. Unfortunately, one of these labs processing a significant number of our public tests has been unable to fulfill its obligation.

AdventHealth has terminated its contract with this lab and we share in the disappointment and frustration this situation has created. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and uncertainty it has caused.

AdventHealth uses many other labs across multiple states to provide COVID-19 tests for our communities.

This issue impacts more than 8,000 people throughout AdventHealth West Florida Division. This situation has created unacceptable delays, and we do not have confidence in the reliability of the tests. We are working diligently to notify and appropriately accommodate those who are impacted. They will be receiving a letter from us and may also receive a phone call.

These individuals fall into two categories:

1. Those whose samples were processed, and whose results provided by the lab are not deemed reliable.

i. Individuals who had unreliable positive results will require retesting.

ii. Individuals with unreliable negative results who are symptomatic need to seek care and may require retesting.

iii. Individuals with unreliable negative results who are asymptomatic but request to be retested will be offered testing pending availability.

2. Those whose samples are at the lab in question and are part of the backlog will not be tested; therefore, no result will be available.

i. These patients may require retesting if they are symptomatic.

ii. We have directed the lab to destroy these samples in accordance with the law.

If someone is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms they should seek care immediately.

“It has been a privilege to serve our community during these unprecedented times, and we remain committed to our promise to keep you safe and provide the best care possible,” said Mike Schultz, President and CEO of AdventHealth West Florida Division. “We are taking ownership of these issues and are reaching out to the thousands of those who were impacted to help make it easy for them to understand the next step in their care.”

AdventHealth cares deeply for our patients, team members and the communities we serve. We are committed to minimizing the spread of COVID-19 and caring for those impacted.

About AdventHealth West Florida Division

The West Florida Division of AdventHealth has some of the nation’s brightest medical minds making lifesaving breakthroughs with surgical pioneers, scientists and researchers using leading edge technology and innovation to deliver our brand of whole-person care. Our network of care includes AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Connerton, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Ocala, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wauchula, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as well as five freestanding offsite Emergency Rooms including AdventHealth Brandon ER, AdventHealth Central Pasco ER, AdventHealth Palm Harbor ER, AdventHealth TimberRidge ER, and AdventHealth Westchase ER. We are more than hospitals, as we have a robust system of care including specialty acute care, over 200 primary care and specialty employed physicians, Express Care at Walgreens clinics, urgent care centers, wound care, physical therapy, home care, mobile mammography and more. AdventHealth is a faith-based not-for-profit health care system with a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. AdventHealth has hundreds of care sites and nearly 50 hospitals across the United States. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com, or Facebook.com/AdventHealth, and for West Florida Division, click here.