Since launching Palm Beach County’s largest COVID-19 drive-thru test site at the Fitteam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on March 31, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s Brumback Clinics met a milestone last week by providing more than 60,000 tests to the community — all at no charge. This number amounts to more than a quarter of all 231,777 people tested in the county. In addition to the ballpark, the Brumback Clinics offer walk-up testing at the Belle Glade, West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Delray Beach and Lantana clinics, as well as in neighborhoods of need with the mobile health clinic, Scout.
“This milestone in testing is a direct result of the dedication and hard work of more than 200 Brumback Clinics’ team members and Health Care District support staff,” said Dr. Belma Andrić, chief medical officer and executive director of clinic services for the Health Care District. “Our clinics serve all patients, with or without insurance, through telehealth, inpatient medical visits and COVID-19 testing. This effort aligns with our mission to serve residents in our community when they need us the most.”
This marks the first time that the Health Care District, a unique and complex public healthcare system, has conducted wide-scale clinical testing that now includes seven sites. Thanks to the support of Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Department of Emergency Management, Palm Beach County, the Florida National Guard, and the Health Care District’s IT and call center teams, the Brumback Clinics had the ballpark testing site up and running in just three days.
“I am very proud of the speed with which we mobilized this complex testing initiative and the ongoing quality of our operations during this pandemic,” Health Care District CEO Darcy Davis said. “We have swabbed a lot of noses, and it’s clear we will be on the frontlines of testing well into the future.”
Regina Umpierrez of Boynton Beach received testing at the Health Care District’s mobile clinic, Scout. The county, which provided the clinic on wheels through federal CARES Act funding, assigns the vehicle to different neighborhoods each weekday to enhance access to testing for residents in underserved areas.
“My testing experience was very good,” said Umpierrez, who wonders if she was exposed to COVID-19 while volunteering at a soup kitchen. “I like the service, the people and that they come close to my home.”
Residents are encouraged to schedule an appointment by calling the testing hotline at (561) 642-1000. In the past month, the hotline has received calls from nearly 45,000 people. Anyone of any age can be tested if they have symptoms.
The Brumback Clinics are the medical home for some 50,000 adult and pediatric patients throughout Palm Beach County. To learn more about the Brumback Clinics, or to schedule an appointment for a medical telehealth or inpatient visit, call (561) 642-1000 or visit www.brumbackclinics.org.
