As omicron continues to sweep the nation, health care services like Arizona-based Embry Health, are seeing a spike in the number of COVID-19 testing appointments.
Embry Health has seen a nearly 60% increase in the number of people booking appointments in just one week. It’s averaging over 13,000 appointments a day and that rate is expected to grow.
CEO of Embry Health, Raymond Embry, says they are seeing as high as 18,000 appointments.
“The surging in testing volume is not just because of the holidays, we really are seeing it align with the symptoms people are experiencing as well as exposure," Embry said.
Embry says there are plans to add 100 new testing locations in multiple states by the end of January. But Embry says they could have opened more locations, and faster, if the country had a more united healthcare regulatory structure.
“Embry Health has had plans to launch in up to 20 states all during the fall, however we continue to run into a regulatory framework that is fractured and is different in every single state. And it’s extremely unfortunate and it’s putting patients’ lives on the line," Embry said.
Embry also says while the Biden Administration expanded the PREP act, which allows more healthcare providers to vaccinate for COVID-19, there was no expansion for WHO could do the vaccinations. He says multiple states require a registered nurse to be on site, but there is a national shortage.
"It's an astoundingly unfortunate waste of resources to have those folks at test sites when other types of healthcare providers such as EMTs, medical assistants and paramedics would be more than sufficient," Embry said.
As for holiday testing, Embry says nine testing sites will be open on Christmas and New Year's Day in Arizona.
- Peoria Sports Complex — 16101 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria
- Estrella Mountain Community College — 3000 N. Dysart Road, Avondale
- Phoenix College — 3100-3148 N. 11th Ave. Parking, Phoenix
- Metrocenter — 9803 N. Metro Parkway, Phoenix
- Chaparral Business Center — 8840 E. Chaparral Road Suite 101, Scottsdale
- Mesa Community College — 1833 W. Southern Ave, Phoenix
- Poston Butte High School — 32375 N. Gantzel Road, San Tan Valley
- South Price Road — 3350 S. Price Road, Tempe
- Chandler-Gilbert Community College — 2626 E. Pecos Road, Chandler
