By: Claire Sheppard

The Penn State Health Medical Center has developed online screening for patients who suspect that they may have the coronavirus. 

The virtual screening is available through Penn State Health’s telehealth service. The free application, PennState Health OnDemand, allows patients to interact with a healthcare provider. The provider will evaluate the patient’s symptoms and decide if the patient should be tested for COVID-19. 

According to Reading Eagle, “Only patients who used the online screening and received an order for the test by a provider may use the drive-thru testing site.” 

Drive-through testing is located on Hope Drive at the Penn State Health Medical Center in Hershey.   Additionally, the medical center has a dedicated website with information about COVID-19.

Online screening allows patients to stay at home unless a medical professional deems it testing necessary.

“Our hospital, like other hospitals around the country, is using drive-in testing to keep infected patients from the rest of the hospital to decrease the risk of exposure to everyone,” Dr. Brian Clark, Pediatric Cardiologist at the Penn State Medical Center said, “I think it’s a safer option for workers like myself and especially the patients in the hospital.” 

Drive-thru #COVID19 testing now up and running at @PennStHershey Medical Center. pic.twitter.com/5pFzdHI4w3

— Tom Brier (@TomBrierJr) March 17, 2020