Kaweah Health Medical Group Offers Rapid COVID-19 Testing For Patients, Community

VISALIA – Kaweah Health Medical Group is now offering rapid testing for people with and without symptoms of COVID-19.

The rapid COVID-19 test is available to patients of Kaweah Health Medical Group and to individuals who see a provider at:

• QuickCare, 5400 W. Hillsdale Ave. in Visalia
• Sequoia Prompt Care, 1110 S. Ben Maddox Way, Ste. B, in Visalia.

“Our top priority is people who are symptomatic or who have had a definite exposure to someone with COVID-19,” said Dr. Bruce Hall, an Internal Medicine physician and Chief Medical Officer of Kaweah Health Medical Foundation, which owns and operates the Visalia clinic. “We’re happy to test people who want to travel or return to work or school as long as we have adequate testing supplies.”

Last month, Kaweah Health Medical Group became the first Kaweah Health Health Care District location to launch rapid testing on the Quidel Sofia-2 platform. The District recently acquired 20 analyzers in partnership with the Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency using CARES act funds. The antigen test uses a less-invasive swab in the front of the nose, which the analyzer can process in 15 minutes.

The rapid test is something physicians at the clinic wanted in place before Fall, the start of cold and flu season, said Dr. Robert Allen, a family medicine physician and medical director of the clinic’s laboratory. A taskforce worked with leaders at Kaweah Health, including Randall Kokka, Director of Laboratory Services, who was instrumental and relentless in securing the rapid testing platform for the community, Allen said. “This cold and flu season, we need to know, do you have the flu or do you have COVID?” he said, noting that a positive Quidel test suggests that a person is infective; the test only detects higher levels of the virus.

The rapid test has given providers peace of mind, said Tate Gordon, a Physician Assistant-Certified, who cares for patients at Kaweah Health Medical Group’s walk-in clinic, QuickCare. “It’s been amazing to have someone walk in with symptoms and minutes later have results and know exactly what’s wrong with them,” he said. “This virus is scary. You don’t know what’s going to happen to people. Having immediate results eases me a little because I can watch them over the next week to make sure they are OK.”

Kaweah Health Medical Group offers the expertise of providers who offer a wide variety of specialties, along with telehealth visits, a lab, imaging, physical therapy and more. Walk-in care is available at QuickCare and Sequoia Prompt Care. For information, call 739-2000 or visit www.vmchealth.com.