“Hospitals treat patients with a variety of infectious diseases every day,” said Jamie Hendrix, MSN, RN, vice president of patient care. “Our teams participate in ongoing emergency preparedness training to help us put systems in place to handle an influx of patients while keeping our healthcare providers safe so they may care for others. The spread of COVID-19 puts us on heightened alert to put what we know in place to protect and care for the communities we serve.”
In response to COVID-19 testing challenges, Prairie Ridge Health set up a designated triage line and a COVID-19 outdoor drive-thru testing site to assist patients in our service area.
The drive-thru testing site, located on the hospital’s campus, was up and running by March 16 and is open five days a week to serve the local community. The patient drives under a canopy and remains in their vehicle. This provides protection from the elements, privacy, and convenience. In addition, the open air and limited contact increases safety precautions for our healthcare team, patients, and the community.
Prairie Ridge Health is monitoring the updates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) daily and working closely with local public health officials, the Wisconsin Hospital Association and other health care partners to observe, plan, and respond to COVID-19. Since March 2020, the Prairie Ridge Health team has been working hard to ensure the safety of their patients, team, and communities. 
“The situation is evolving every day,” said Hendrix. "The key is to look the future and not the current moment so we can safeguard our patients, team, and the communities we serve."