Where to Get Tested for COVID-19 in Montgomery County

by | May 30, 2020 | COVID-19

Where to Get Tested for COVID-19 in Montgomery County

Montgomery County’s new COVID-19 testing site opened on April 16th in the parking lot at Montgomery County Community College in Whitpain Township. It’s a drive-thru self-testing site where each person can perform their own nasal swabbing. Tests are available by appointment only. The address is 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422. Individuals arriving for testing should enter the campus via the entrance on the 300 block of Dekalb Pike (US 202), Blue Bell, PA 19422. Only enclosed passenger vehicles and small vans and trucks will be permitted to enter. Large commercial vehicles and motorcycles are prohibited, as are pedestrians.

 

Testing criteria

There are a limited number of tests available; therefore, tests are reserved for high-risk individuals that meet one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Persons of any age with symptoms of sudden illness, i.e., fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of smell/taste, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, with or without fever
  2. First responder, i.e., law enforcement, fire, EMS, or dispatcher, AND those concerned with exposure to a patient with suspected COVID-19 OR symptoms of any sudden illness, with or without fever
  3. Healthcare worker providing direct patient care AND concern for exposure to a patient with suspected COVID-19 OR symptoms of any sudden illness, with or without fever
  4. Anyone with known or suspected direct contact to someone with COVID-19
  5. Anyone who has been recommended by their doctor to get tested

Individuals qualifying under requirements for first responder or healthcare worker status may be asked to provide proper identification.

Individuals not meeting one of the above criteria or who lack this necessary documentation will be denied access to testing.

 

How to register for a COVID-19 test

Registration is required. The testing site at Montgomery County Community College will remain open from 10am – 4pm, Monday through Saturday, as testing supplies allow.
Registration for each day’s appointments will open at 8am each morning and will remain open until all available spots are filled. Individuals can register online at https://www.montcopa.org/COVID-19 (Click County Testing Information).

Registration is also available over the phone at (610) 631-3000 for those without access to the internet or email.

After all time slots are filled for each day, anyone attempting to register will be provided with the option to join the waitlist, which will be active for that day only. Individuals on the waitlist will be contacted if any spots become available. Anyone who has registered and finds that they cannot make their appointment should call (610) 631-3000 as soon as possible to ensure that their time slot is made available to someone on the waitlist.

 

Can you cancel your appointment?

Yes. If you are unable to make your appointment, you have two options:

  1. If you can still get to the test site before 3:45pm the same day, simply head to the test site. No action is needed
  2. If you can’t get to the test site on the day you registered, please call (610) 631-3000 as soon as possible so your appointment can be canceled and can be assigned to someone else in need. You will have to re-register for another test at a later date

 

Can you be placed on a wait list if all the appointment slots are full?

Yes! Spots tend to fill up quickly when registration opens up each morning and there are often cancellations. If you try to register and can’t get a spot, you can submit your contact information for the same-day wait list. If there’s a cancellation, those on the wait list will be called on a first-come, first-served basis. The wait list will reset each day.

 

What to bring to your self-test appointment

  1. A printed or digital copy of your pre-registration form
  2. A photo ID
  3. Your health insurance card (NOTE: everyone will be tested, regardless of your insurance coverage)
  4. Your healthcare facility employee for first responder ID/badge (if applicable)
  5. Registration confirmation will be emailed to you and will include instructions on what to bring with you for testing, testing site location address, and precautions to be taken upon arrival at the site. Each individual must complete a pre-registration form. If you arrive at the site and don’t meet the criteria for testing, you will be disqualified for testing. Individuals are required to come directly to the testing site and return directly home

 

Can non-Montgomery County residents register for drive-thru tests?

Yes, the testing site is not limited to Montgomery County residents.

 

What will the process be when you arrive at the testing site?

You will be asked to show a photo ID to verify that you have a testing appointment. You will also need to meet at least one of the testing criteria mentioned above. Individuals not meeting the criteria or who lack the necessary documentation will be denied access to testing.

 

Getting your results

A few days after your test, you will receive your results via a phone call from the following number: 1-833-447-0001 and the Caller ID will display Results Center. MAKE SURE TO ANSWER THIS CALL! The call center will make 3 attempts to call you. The call center WILL NOT leave a voicemail message with your results due to privacy concerns. The call center DOES NOT accept incoming calls.

If you miss all 3 calls from the call center, you have two options for getting your results:

  1. The fastest way: Access your test results online at www.labcorp.com/results. If you do not have an account with LabCorp, you will have the option to create one. It takes a few business days after the testing is complete for the results to show up on the LabCorp portal
  2. Slower option: Call the Health Department in the county in which you live. Note: It may take up to 7-10 days after testing is complete for your local Health Department to receive your results. If you need documentation regarding your test results for your employer, you will need to request them through the LabCorp portal. Your county or state health departments DO NOT have that capability.

 

How to perform a self-test once you get to the site

You will pick up the test kit from a table, swab each nostril, then place the swab into a tube and back onto the table. The sample is then sent to the lab in a secure bag.
With no direct contact between site workers and potential patients, it cuts the risk of transmission and saves on protective gear.