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Update: Drive-through now open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. weekends

Published Date
Author Mikal Canfield

 

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — As COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to spread within the U.S., we are taking every precaution to keep our patients, our caregivers and our community safe. In order to care for as many COVID-19 patients as possible, these measures include closing or limiting some services, restricting visitors to our facilities and offering off-site testing for the virus.

Update to hours for drive-through testing for COVID-19

Providence Alaska Medical Center is partnering with Alaska Native Medical Center, Alaska Regional Hospital and Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center to offer free drive-through COVID-19 testing to the community. 

Testing is now available 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. People being tested will need to provide a valid photo ID.

The testing is available beginning Monday, March 16, at 4115 Lake Otis Parkway, near the intersection of Lake Otis and East 42nd Ave. This service is to prepare for the event a greater testing capacity is needed.

People must have a referral before being tested; those without a referral will not be tested. Referrals can be obtained during a live, phone or a virtual appointment with a clinician.

Testing involves collecting a swab from the nose, which is then sent to a lab for testing. People will be contacted with results as soon as they are available.

For the safety of you and others, please follow marked traffic directions at the test-collection site.

Providence Alaska Medical Center cancels elective surgeries

To preserve capacity to meet the acute health care needs of our patients, the Surgical Governance Council at Providence Alaska Medical Center has recommended we temporarily stop elective inpatient and outpatient surgeries for non-life threatening and non-urgent care, effective Tuesday, March 17.

Patients who currently have elective surgeries scheduled will be contacted to reschedule their procedures.

We are following guidance from the American College of Surgeons, the U.S. Surgeon General, and the State of Alaska. This decision will continue to be re-evaluated as we monitor our resources.

Providence Alaska facilities implement visitor restrictions

We are implementing visitor and entry restrictions beginning Tuesday, March 17, at all Providence Alaska facilities. For Providence Alaska Medical Center, this means no visitors will be allowed with the exception of:

  • Parents/guardians or birth partners of patients at The Children’s Hospital at Providence (NICU, PICU, Pediatrics, Maternity, Labor & Delivery, Discovery inpatient adolescent mental health);
  • Family members of patients who are at end-of-life; and
  • Under special circumstances, one person accompanying a patient being treated in the Emergency Department.

Access for people without a badge will only be available at the hospital main entrance, Emergency Department, or Health Park main entrance (Piper Street). Screening with a temperature check will be required prior to entry.

Please call other Providence Alaska facilities prior to arrival for more information about visitor restrictions.

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Providence Health & Services Alaska is part of Providence St. Joseph Health, a not-for-profit network of hospitals, care centers, health plans, physicians, clinics, home health services, affiliated services and educational facilities. For more information about Providence, visit: www.providence.org/alaska.