Patients Choice Laboratories, AMS OnSite Available to Serve in Missouri Long-Term Care Facilities

Many long-term care facilities now uncertain of where to turn for critical laboratory services following the suspension of a major testing lab due to inaccurate COVID-19 results

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AMS OnSite

Nov 04, 2020, 15:53 ET

INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A major testing laboratory based in Missouri was recently suspended due to inaccurate COVID-19 test results, leaving many long-term care facilities without vital lab services. Regulators with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently suspended Gamma Healthcare, which a healthcare official said would have "drastic impacts on long-term care facilities across the Midwest," according to an article in The Missouri Times that described the scenario as "life or death."

"This will be a huge hit to the industry," Nikki Strong, executive director of the Missouri Health Care Association, told The Missouri Times. "Due to the issues that led to the removal of their lab certificate — it started with COVID testing but the bigger hit to our community and our state is the significant lab tests that are done at this lab."

As many as 2,500 nursing homes in 11 states could be affected, according to McKnight's Long-Term Care News.

Patients Choice Laboratories, a comprehensive infectious disease lab specializing in respiratory diseases, such as COVID-19, as well as molecular, wound, nail and UTI testing, and AMS OnSite, the nation's leading infection control and prevention (ICP) clinical practice, are here to help.

"As a lab that services the long-term care industry, we feel for those nursing home administrators left scrambling for testing services," said Brad Moss, president and CEO of Patients Choice Laboratories. "Comprehensive testing is a vital component in keeping our most vulnerable citizens healthy and safe and we're proud to support the long-term care community in the Midwest."

"We rely on Patients Choice Laboratories as a trusted partner to deliver fast and accurate test results for our long-term care communities. They share our commitment to reducing infectious disease outbreaks in the long-term care community through comprehensive testing, sound ICP practices and antimicrobial stewardship," said AMS OnSite CEO G. Ellsworth Harris.

About Patients Choice Laboratories

Patients Choice Laboratories, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a leading provider of comprehensive laboratory testing services throughout the United States. Since 2013, Patients Choice Laboratories has served patients and providers with a focus on providing fast, accurate and reliable results. Patients Choice Laboratories offers an unmatched combination of innovative molecular testing services for urinary tract infections, wound infections, respiratory infections, nail infections and pharmacogenetics. For more information, please visit www.pclabsdx.com.

About AMS Onsite
AMS Onsite is the leading infection control and prevention (ICP) specialty practice exclusively committed to America's long-term care facilities. AMS Onsite offers several comprehensive ICP programs, including Sterisis, which embeds dedicated infection preventionists on site, live infection risk assessment, remote monitoring, rapid-result PCR testing for infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and influenza, and antibiotic management programs. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, AMS Onsite has offices in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois and Missouri. For more information on AMS Onsite visit www.amsonsite.com or email [email protected].