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Red Deer hospital could soon process COVID-19 tests for its patients

AHS is looking for ways to provide quicker test results
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The Red Deer hospital laboratory could soon be processing COVID-19 tests that are conducted on the facility’s patients. (Black Press file photo).

Tests to determine whether Red Deer hospital patients have COVID-19 could soon be processed in the facility’s own laboratory.

Alberta Health Services has been looking for ways to provide quicker virus testing in the province on new hospital admissions, while also relieving some of the pressure off busy laboratories in Edmonton and Calgary.

“I can confirm that AHS is exploring options to expand laboratory testing capacity into some regional centres like Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre on a limited basis for in-patients who most need it,” said an AHS communications officer.

While there’s no confirmed “go-live” date for implementing such testing at Red Deer hospital, AHS officials expect to know more later this week.

“As of right now, that expansion has not been implemented,” the spokesperson said late last week.

COVID-19 can be notoriously difficult to diagnose without testing. The most common symptoms of the disease are fever, tiredness and dry cough.

But some people experience very mild or no symptoms, while others have complained of headaches, abdominal pain and a loss of taste and smell.

“Things are changing so rapidly as response measures evolve,” states the AHS spokesperson.

AHS is aiming to utilize existing lab resources at Red Deer hospital, including staff who are being trained on new protocols in handling COVID-19 testing kits.



lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com

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