We’re excited to announce the establishment of an in-house diagnostic laboratory. The lab is located in our new location, St. John’s United Gainan Commons in downtown Billings. This lab is purposed to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Reliable and timely testing is necessary in order to identify, monitor and, ultimately, manage COVID-19. With State Lab testing results documented to take roughly seven days; undoubtedly the Billings community has individuals who are unknowingly infected and potentially spreading germs to families and neighbors. The St. John’s United’s laboratory helps address this and will provide participating institutions with predictable testing windows and timely responses. The capacity of the lab, operating Tuesday through Friday, can perform up to 500 – 1,000 tests per day and, depending on expanded schedules, demand, and human capital, could triple that volume.
“Our goal is not volume, it is capacity to serve institutional care settings with testing results that are predictable and meaningful, so that long term care facilities can operate as normal as the pandemic will allow,” said David Trost, St. John’s United President and CEO.
“The Board of Directors has made this risk investment to serve our mission of providing living opportunities within nurturing environments of hope, dignity, and love. Meaningful testing is a means to achieving this mission. Too many residents have been isolated far more often than needed just because of testing delay,” said St. John’s United Board Chair, Tom Olson.
