OptumServe Community Testing Sites
Facts and Frequently Asked Questions
Updated October 4, 2020
Facts
- The State of North Carolina is partnering with OptumServe, the federal government health services business of Optum to expand no-cost virus testing services to the residents of North Carolina.
- OptumServe has extensive expertise in rapidly deploying and setting up health care services and have worked closely with the military under the leadership of former Army Surgeon General and retired Lieutenant General Patty Horoho, RN.
- OptumServe is experienced in setting up large-scale COVID-19 testing at community-based sites across the country. They have performed more than 1 million COVID-19 tests on behalf of the states of California, Indiana, New Jersey and others in multiple locations.
- The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will be prioritizing locations based upon areas of greatest need and working with county leaders throughout the state to identify appropriate virus testing sites across all regions of North Carolina.
- OptumServe has committed, where possible, to hiring local workers to staff sample collection sites, along with providing all testing supplies and PPE to support the effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will people from other counties be able to get tested at the new events?
Yes, OptumServe sites will be able to support patients from adjacent counties.
Will children be able to get tested at these new events?
Yes, OptumServe sites will be able to support patients ages 1 to 18 when brought to the testing site with a parent or legal guardian.
How will North Carolina allocate PPE and testing supplies to the OptumServe locations?
OptumServe will provide all of the PPE and testing supplies and will coordinate the necessary personnel to conduct sample collection and testing results reporting.
Who will provide staffing for OptumServe testing sites?
OptumServe will provide staffing for each testing site which varies depending on the number of testing teams. At a minimum, each site will have (1) Event Oversight Administrator (EOA) / Registered Nurse (RN), (1) Clinician/Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and (1) Clinical Administrative Assistant. OptumServe will also provide a translator and security guard at each site. For sites with two or more teams, registration and traffic control staff will be added.
Who will decide where sites will be located?
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is working with county leaders throughout the State to identify appropriate testing sites by prioritizing locations based upon areas of greatest need.
Who pays for the setting up of testing sites?
The state of North Carolina will be paying the cost of setting up the collection sites. The county is responsible to lease and maintain the facility.
Who is responsible for maintaining the facility? Each county is responsible for providing janitorial services for the selected facilities. The facility should be cleaned in accordance with guidelines for clinics that provide outpatient services. Upon conclusion of the testing event, the contractor will restore the facility to pre-event condition.
Who pays for the test?
The tests will be paid for by the state.
What if a person is uninsured, undocumented or doesn't have a driver license?
Anyone who meets the testing criteria can be tested at a testing site. Uninsured and undocumented individuals may use the testing site, and their tests will be paid for by the state. OptumServe will generate a unique identification number for individuals who do not have a driver's license.
Will the website be available in different languages?
OptumServe supports English and Spanish on its websites and call center. For additional language support, a patient can be connected with a translation service by the call center agent if they speak a language other than English or Spanish.
Is there an alternative process for individuals who do not have internet access? Yes, each site will implement a process to register individuals who do not have internet access. This includes a toll-free phone number to allow individuals who cannot register online to contact OptumServe and schedule an appointment by phone. This number is reserved strictly for those without internet or are registering for a minor.
Will there be alternate or weekend hours for individuals who cannot go to the testing site during the weekday? OptumServe currently will operate 20 days per month and hours vary by county with a standard of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. OptumServe will work with counties to establish testing times after regular business hours and on weekends to accommodate individuals who are otherwise unavailable during the week.
Will the OptumServe locations have serology testing available? OptumServe does not currently have serology tests. Serology tests require blood draws and these sites are not conducting blood draws at this time.
