New Flu Care Option Skips the Waiting Room
Two Cone Health pharmacies will test and treat people for flu starting today!
QUICK FACTS
-- Where: Cone Health Community Pharmacy at Alamance Regional and Cone Health Community Pharmacy at Moses Cone
-- Who: Anyone age 5 and older can use the service, and you do not have to be a Cone Health patient.
-- Cost: $45 for flu testing and a pharmacist assessment; medication costs extra.
GREENSBORO – When flu cases climb, getting care quickly can be difficult. Doctor’s appointments fill up. Urgent cares and emergency departments can get crowded.
Cone Health is testing another option.
When and where: Beginning Oct. 1, Cone Health will pilot a flu test-and-treat service at its community pharmacies at Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington and inside the Steven D. Bell Family Heart & Vascular Center at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro. People who think they may have the flu can get a rapid test and a pharmacist assessment. If appropriate, the pharmacist can prescribe treatment during the same visit. 
“When flu is spreading, finding quick care can be challenging,” said Pharmacist Brittany Blake, supervisor of Cone Health Community Pharmacy at Moses Cone Hospital. “We are giving people another option. If you think you have the flu, come to one of these pharmacies, get tested and, if appropriate, leave with what you need to get better fast.”
How it works: People who test positive and meet treatment guidelines can receive a prescription for oseltamivir, the generic form of Tamiflu, during the same visit. Oseltamivir can lessen the symptoms and shorten how long the flu lasts. People at high risk who have been in close contact with someone with the flu may also qualify for medication to help prevent flu. (State regulations require prescriptions be filled at the testing pharmacy.)
Who can use it: The service is open to anyone age 5 and older. Children ages 5 to 17 must have a guardian with them. Walk-ins are welcome Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Outside of these hours, please call ahead. (Cone Health Community Pharmacy at Alamance Regional 336-586-3900, Cone Health Community Pharmacy at Moses Cone Hospital 336-832-6279)
What it costs: The $45 fee covers the flu test and pharmacist assessment. Medication costs are separate and depend on the patient’s insurance coverage.
Care doesn’t stop there: Test results and treatment decisions will be added to the patient’s medical record and provided to the patient’s primary care provider within 72 hours. Patients will receive follow-up within 48 hours through MyChart or by phone.
