Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing During the 2020 Pandemic: A Safe, Efficient, and Scalable Model for Pediatric Patients and Health Care Workers

Implementation of a Nurse Practitioner-Led Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing Site

“…Finally, a pediatric-focused drive through COVID-19 testing site deployed in Philadelphia in March 2020 further supports the argument for efficiency as they were able to perform almost ten percent of all tests performed city-wide at that time. 3 These studies all support the argument that a drive-through testing model can reduce cost, increase throughput and maintain social distancing.…”

“…Finally, the study conducted in Philadelphia used a similar staffing model, with RNs performing testing and MAs performing administrative work, yet leadership was provided by physicians. 3 …”

“… 3 , 7 , 10 Drive-through testing allows for rapid testing of large numbers of patients while using fewer resources, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and staff, than a traditional clinic setting. 3 , 7 , 10 These testing efforts require strong clinical leadership by members of the healthcare profession who are willing to adapt successfully in a constantly changing pandemic landscape. We demonstrate that nurse practitioners are an ideal choice for clinical leadership in a drive-through COVID-19 testing site.…”

Outcomes of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Drive-Through Screening at an Academic Military Medical Center

“…A standardized approach to drive-through screening allows for consistent differentiation of possible COVID-19-related symptoms and provides a safe, efficient mechanism for screening large numbers of patients, while minimizing unnecessary exposure to the healthcare environment. Drive-through screening was also an effective method to test healthcare workers [ 9 , 10 , 15 ], who represented approximately one quarter of those tested in our analysis. Although our screening method involved face-to-face interviews of patients in their vehicles, other drive-through programs have implemented a web-based questionnaire [ 15 ], telephone triage [ 3–7 , 9 , 14 ], or onsite microphones [ 11 ] for patient assessment or communication.…”

Artificial Intelligence Model of Drive-Through Vaccination Simulation

“…Use of large temporary facilities allows for rapid and safer mass vaccination [ 9 ]. Drive-through facilities have lower disease transmission, low virus exposure, have large throughput, provide better security, and are more accessible and comfortable particularly for individuals with mobility issues or are geographically dispersed [ 2 , 7 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. The drive-through method has some limitations and shortcomings as its usage is influenced by weather conditions, requires suitable and available spaces, and significant logistical planning.…”