Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Instructions for Lifespan Primary Care/Ambulatory Providers Ordering COVID-19 Testing

This process details how Lifespan Primary Care/Ambulatory Providers can order COVID-19 testing for patients at the CCRI, URI or RIC testing sites. 

Reminder: It is NOT necessary to call the RIDOH for permission to test your patients.

Ordering the Test

Order on-line at https://schedulecovidtest.ri.gov

Specimens are processed at East Side Clinical Laboratory (ESCL).

Helpful links:

Be sure to include patient’s telephone number when placing order.

Getting Results - Provider

  • Ordering provider will receive test results via fax.
  • Ordering provider communicates results to patient and informs patient that a RIDOH representative will reach out to them directly for follow up.
  • Ordering provider reports all positive results to RIDOH at 401-222-2577.

NOTE: To ensure proper processing of test results, it is important that a provider's National Provider Identifier (NPI) is entered correctly into the Rhode Island online ordering system for COVID-19 tests.

Getting Results - Patient

  • Ordering provider communicates results to patient and informs patient that a RIDOH representative will reach out to them directly for follow up.

OR

Documenting Test and Result

  • Register individuals not currently in LifeChart to create a record. Document patient discussion, e.g., visit encounter, smart phrase, or telephone encounter. Include that testing was ordered and advice given (e.g., https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/sick-with-2019-nCoV-fact-sheet.pdf). 
  • Enter preliminary diagnosis(es) on problem list*.
  • Once resulted, update problem list*. Scan paper results into LifeChart. 
  • If appropriate, addend original note with test result, patient and RIDOH notification, and any additional advice given.

*List of COVID-19-Related Diagnoses in LifeChart »

Best Practice Alert (BPA)

  • Positive-related diagnoses will activate a best practice alert (BPA) to fire when a patient presents to any Lifespan affiliate for care.
  • The inpatient BPA will also prompt notification of Lifespan’s Infection Control via the “COVID-19 Dx/No Infection” patient list. 
  • The BPA will appear upon opening an encounter in LifeChart. Once that care provider selects “I am aware,” the BPA will not appear again while charting in that encounter. The BPA will appear in the future if the care provider opens a new encounter on the same patient.
  • Note: The COVID-19 diagnosis on problem list has been set to auto-resolve after 90 days. Thus, if the patient recuperates and doesn’t have a Lifespan encounter for more than 3 months, the BPA will no longer fire. 

Resources

Additional resource: https://covid.ri.gov/healthcare-professionals/information-healthcare-providers