Effective immediately, FoundCare, Inc., a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center, is no longer taking appointments for its COVID-19 drive-through testing station in the parking lot of its location at 2330 South Congress Avenue in West Palm Beach. The site was set up to test Palm Beach County residents for COVID-19 with a prior appointment only. FoundCare has been overwhelmed with calls for appointments, and individuals have been showing up without following required screening protocols and confirmed appointments.
“Currently, we have scheduled appointments through April 10,” said Yolette Bonnet, CEO of FoundCare. “Until we receive additional test kits, we are unable to further schedule any testing appointments. We ask for the public’s understanding during these uncertain times. We will announce if we are able to resume testing as soon as those kits become available. In the interim, we will not see anyone for testing if they do not have a confirmed appointment. You will be turned away.”
FoundCare announced its testing operations on Sunday, March 15 and by Monday, March 16 they had received more than 6,000 calls requesting an appointment. The West Palm Beach based FQHC was clear that patients must call for a prior appointment and answer screening questions in order to be scheduled. Patients who did not meet those requirements were turned away from the testing site.
“For those patients who have an appointment to see us, we will proceed with testing as long as our supplies remain,” said Bonnet. “We hope to receive additional supplies soon and will communicate that information at www.foundcare.org. In the meantime, we encourage patients to contact the Florida Department of Health for other options for testing.”
FoundCare, Inc., celebrating 35 years in the community, uses a sliding fee scale based on household size and income, and no one is turned away for inability to pay. With several locations throughout Palm Beach County, FoundCare offers such one-stop services as pediatric and adult primary care, new women’s health services, chronic disease management, behavioral health services, dentistry, pharmacy, laboratory services and x-rays.
For more information about FoundCare visit www.foundcare.org or call 561-HEALTHY (432-5849). To reach the Florida Department of Health please visit www.floridahealth.gov or call 866-779-6121.