Houston, TX-based company says that patients who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 can get the needed tests at any SignatureCare Emergency Center’s 24-hour emergency rooms.

HOUSTON, TX – SignatureCare Emergency Center is pleased to announce that it is now offering rapid COVID-19 tests to patients who may have been exposed to the virus. The tests are available at the company’s 18 emergency room (ER) locations across Texas.

The company announced that it has acquired enough test kits to cover patients who may have been exposed to the virus, and need to get the 15-minute rapid COVID-19 test.

SignatureCare said it has three types of COVID-19 tests available, including the rapid antigen test with results typically available in about 15 minutes, antibody test, and molecular (PCR) test.

“Rapid antigen tests which detect viral protein in an actively infected person, are easily performed at our ER with a nasal or oral swab.”

According to Dr. Hashibul Hannan, a board-certified emergency medicine physician and managing partner at SignatureCare Emergency Center, rapid antigen tests which detect viral protein in an infected person, can easily be performed at any of the company’s emergency room locations with results available in about 15 minutes.

“Rapid antigen tests which detect viral protein in an actively infected person, are easily performed at our ER with a nasal or oral swab. The manufacturer-published data states that the test is 100% specific (meaning: if it is positive it is 100% accurate) and that it is 80% sensitive (meaning: if it is negative, it is 80% accurate),” Dr. Hannan said.

He said antibody and molecular (PCR) tests are sent out to a laboratory once the samples are collected. The results are typically available in 24-48 hours.

“These two tests are available, and the results are usually ready in 1-2 days, so there is not a long waiting period to get the results back,” Dr. Hannan said.

Although the tests are limited to SignatureCare Emergency Center’s ER patients who may have been exposed to coronavirus, getting tested does not require a referral or an appointment.

“Patients do not need appointment or referral to get tested, and our emergency centers are open 24 hours, so the tests can be performed anytime,” he continued.

Wondering if you or your loved ones should get tested for coronavirus? Dr. Hannan said if you answer yes to any of the following questions, you should consider getting tested immediately.

1. Are you at risk for contracting Coronavirus (COVID-19)?
2. Have you recently been in an area known for community spread of COVID-19?
3. Do you believe you have been around someone exposed to COVID-19?
4. Have you been in contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19?
5. Are you experiencing fever, cough, headache, or shortness of breath?
6. Is your spouse, child, or family member a healthcare worker?
7. Are you a healthcare worker, first responder, nurse, doctor, or someone that interacts with patients every day?

“If you answered yes to any of the above questions, consider getting tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible,” Dr. Hannan said.

SignatureCare Emergency Center has emergency room locations in Houston (Montrose, Houston Heights, Cypress/FM 1960, Copperfield, Memorial City, Westchase, and Bellaire, Mission Bend/Sugar Land and Stafford), Killeen, South Austin, College Station/Bryan, Paris, Midland, Odessa, Texarkana, Lewisville and Pflugerville, TX.

Our newest emergency room location in Atascocita, Humble, TX, is due to open in the next few weeks.

Dr. Hannan said SignatureCare Emergency Center has taken various steps to ensure the safety of the community when they come into any of the company’s ER facilities.

“Everyone including our staff, patients, and their family members, wears masks while in the facility. We enforce hand hygiene for everyone. All our facilities are equipped with HEPA air filtration. Every room and piece of furniture is sanitized before patients enter the rooms. All linens are changed for every new patient, and we have a negative pressure isolation room available should one be needed,” he said.

He said that patients and their families should have full confidence when they visit any of the facilities knowing that all necessary precautions are being taken to ensure their safety.

“At SignatureCare Emergency Center, we go beyond the minimum standard required for the safety of our patients and staff,” Dr. Hannan added.