Star Staff Reports
MEMPHIS — Christ Community Health Services will open an appointment-only COVID-19 drive-thru testing site in the parking lot of the Christ Community Third Street location Saturday, March 21, 2020 from 8:30 am to 11:30 am.
“We know that there is a great demand for COVID-19 testing and we have been testing patients as needed in our clinics; however, we realize that people who are not our patients need access to testing, so we are opening the Third Street parking lot to serve as a drive-thru location” Shantelle Leatherwood, Chief Executive Officer said.
Unsure of the full testing need, Christ Community is going to offer 50 free tests on Saturday to individuals who have symptoms – fever over 100 degrees, shortness of breath or dry cough – and will schedule appointments based on completing an online form.
“Christ Community serves the individuals in our communities who have great need,” Leatherwood said. “We focused on the Third Street location because of the elderly population in that area and we want to ensure the individuals with a need have access to care.”
Individuals with symptoms seeking to be tested, should text “test2020” to 91999 and follow the texting prompts.
“Offering an online option for scheduling an appointment allows us to increase efficiency,” Lance Luttrell, Chief Operating Officer said. “We will evaluate each individual that completes the online registration and call them to discuss the appointment,” he said.
Christ Community Opens Drive-Thru Testing Saturday
The location of the COVID-19 testing will be 3360 Third Street in Memphis.
“We are glad to be a medical home to over 57,000 individuals in West Tennessee that need us,” Leatherwood said. “We are hopeful that this drive-thru testing site allows us to continue to limit patient exposure and serve the community in a greater way.”
Christ Community Health Services (www.christcommunityhealth.org) Christ Community currently has eight health centers strategically located in underserved areas in Shelby County and one location in Jackson, TN. Throughout West Tennessee we provide pediatric and adult primary care, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy, prenatal and obstetric/gynecological services to over 57,000 patients annually. At present, Christ Community is the largest provider of the medically underserved in Shelby County with a focus on fulfilling the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of the underserved, the uninsured, and the homeless in the Memphis community since 1995. The mission is to provide high-quality health care, recognizing that Jesus Christ is the true healer of individuals and their communities and the source our ability to serve.
