By Steve Lee

Having established a free testing location at Adventure Island in Tampa in mid-April, AdventHealth set up a second community site at AdventHealth Center Ice. Plans call for both testing locales to be open for 30 days.

On April 29 people began arriving at drive-through tents in the parking lot of the ice and sports complex at 3713 Cypress Ridge Blvd. Some registered at AdventHealthCoronavirusTesting.com or called 866-694-5503. Others simply drove up to register on the spot.

Dr. Rainer Chan, chief medical officer of the AdventHealth Medical Group, led a team of 25 healthcare workers, many of whom will be at the Wesley Chapel location throughout the month.

“We’re making it easier for people to be screened and identify if they need to receive treatment and self-isolate,” he said. “I think they’re thankful that testing is available.”

The tests consist of coughing and spitting into a cup with no out-of-pocket costs to those with insurance. AdventHealth is covering the cost of those who are uninsured. Community tests, which do not require a doctor’s order, are provided on weekdays, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

“Expanding testing is an important and necessary step to help flatten the curve and keep our community safe,” said Mike Schultz, president of AdventHealth’s West Florida Division. “We are investing in these testing sites in strategic community locations to make it convenient and affordable for as many people as possible.”

For his part, Gordie Zimmerman, owner and general manager of AdventHealth Center Ice, welcomed the hospital system’s initiative to the 150,500-square-foot, five-rink facility.

“When the opportunity to be an essential testing location for COVID-19 presented itself, we jumped on it,” he said.

By early-May, AdventHealth had tested more than 20,000 people at the two locales for COVID-19. The initiative included about 25 healthcare workers at each location.