HOUSTON, Oct. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In testimony before the Senate last week, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield indicated that more than 90% of Americans remain susceptible to COVID-19. To reduce community spread as the country braces for a second wave of the pandemic, GMED Global, LLC, an international health care institution specializing in medical education and health care workforce development and solutions for government and non-government organizations, today announced that it will offer rapid COVID-19 testing for Medicare patients. GMED operates three Rapid COVID Clinics, one in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona, and two in Houston, Texas. COVID testing is available by appointment or for drop-ins, with results provided the same day.
The rapid result test GMED is offering to Medicare patients is manufactured by Quidel, one of the few rapid antigen tests in the country. This test has recently been approved for use by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and has been deployed to allow point-of-care testing in nursing homes in the State of Maryland. The test includes a pain-free nasal swab that can be self-administered - minimizing the exposure between test takers and health care providers. This highly accurate test directly detects the presence of COVID-19 and test results are returned the same day.
"We targeted Maricopa County in Arizona and our home base of Harris County in Texas to set up these rapid COVID clinics because we could see the need to ramp up testing in those hard-hit communities," said Dr. Ramin Ahmadi, Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of GMED. "With the holidays approaching and flu season just around the corner, we wanted to expand access to testing now to help slow the spread of COVID. By offering rapid COVID-19 tests to Medicare insured patients without an appointment or referral, the most vulnerable people in our community won't have to wait for several days to get results to make sure they're keeping themselves and their households safe."
Since the majority of Medicare patients are over the age of 65 or have an underlying health condition they are in a high-risk category for COVID-19. Rapid testing enables patients who test positive for the virus to isolate earlier to protect others and seek treatment before the disease reaches an acute stage and requires hospitalization. In addition to confirming the virus in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, negative test results can be used to support a safe return to work, school or travel during the busy holiday season.
"Even during a pandemic we expect that people will travel or spend time with extended family and friends," continued Dr. Ahmadi. "We recommend that anyone who suspects that they might have come into contact with someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19 gets tested immediately, and now Medicare patients can get a rapid COVID test with no out-of-pocket fees."
The test does not require a doctor's referral. Individuals can schedule an online appointment or drive to the testing site. Testing is free to Medicare patients with a valid Medicare card. GMED also offers on-site COVID-19 screening to assisted living and nursing homes, area businesses, federal health clinics, and schools.
For more information about testing locations, rules, procedures, and hours of operation, or to schedule an appointment visit http://www.rapidcovidclinic.com.
About GMED Global
GMED Global LLC is a healthcare network that works across the globe to support NGOs, hospitals, medical schools, and governments to establish training and development programs in health care and medical education. Based in Houston, the GMED network has a global reach, with offices in San Francisco, New York, New Haven, Toronto, Monaco, and Riyadh. Through a unique partnership with the Royal College of Canada, GMED's Kazan State Medical University offers a pathway for future doctors to practice medicine in North America. GMED's subsidiary businesses span the scope of the health care industry, including mobile hospital development, healthcare logistics and supply chain staffing, contact tracing, and education and testing. For more information visit https://www.globalhealthresponse.com/.
SOURCE GMED Global
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