PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Naval Medical Center Portsmouth announced it will be implementing a car triage screening process for patients coming to the hospital with COVID-19 symptoms.
Patients who have upper respiratory illness symptoms -- like fever, cough, and shortness of breath -- a history of travel, and believed exposure to the coronavirus will be screened with this process before entering the Emergency Department.
The car triage will begin on March 20 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and then continue daily. The hospital may expand triage hours if needed.
Those who are being evaluated for emergency conditions will proceed directly to the Emergency Department.
Patients who have flu-like symptoms or potential coronavirus infection will be directed to an outdoor area where they will be checked in, triaged, evaluated and treated by a licensed provider all from the comfort and safety of their own vehicle.
During the triage process, the providers will determine if further evaluation and testing are needed or if patients can proceed home for self-observation.
The hospital said the car triage is primarily a screening process to determine the right course of care for patients, and not all patients will be tested.