Rapid COVID-19 testing available at Osmond Hospital

OSMOND — Osmond General Hospital (OGH) was one of 14 critical access hospitals in the state of Nebraska to receive the new Abbott Laboratories ID-Now Rapid COVID-19 testing instruments.

These new testing machines were distributed by the Nebraska Public Health Lab (NPHL) earlier last week. 

The new instrument will allow OGH lab personnel to provide COVID-19 test results in a little under 15 minutes. Testing still requires a doctor’s order.

According to a letter the hospital received from Peter Iwen, MS, PhD at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, “The NPHL has recently been tasked by the governor’s office to coordinate the placement of Abbott ID-Now instruments for the detection of COVID-19 at strategic medical facilities throughout the state. 

“Your facility was chosen by committee as one of the sites to receive this instrument. Following an in-house evaluation of the test kit at the NPHL, the committee decided that critical access facilities and not clinics would benefit most by utilization of this assay.”

OGH lab technician Beth Peschel commented, “It was unexpected. The virus hasn’t been in the community, but this will be a good way to see if it is.”

Personnel at Osmond Medical Clinic confirmed, “No one here in Osmond has shown symptoms or requested to be tested for COVID-19.”