The drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic in Peterborough is now using handheld scanning technology to make the testing process faster and more accurate.

The clinic is the first in Ontario to use the technology, according to a media release from the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC).

When people arrive at the clinic for testing, staff use a handheld device to scan their health card and driver’s licence to digitally capture patient information for the laboratory requisition.

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Barcoded labels are also used for all tests done at the centre.

Benefits of the new system include more complete and higher-quality data when capturing patient information, more legible lab requisitions (making it easier for lab staff to process each test), and faster processing and easier matching of the lab requisition to the test.

First introduced at the clinic last Wednesday (September 2), the scanning technology was used for 1,523 people coming for tests.

The centre is led by Peterborough County/City Paramedics with support from Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC), Peterborough Public Health (PPH), and the City of Peterborough, who worked with the Ministry of Health to introduce the new technology.

Initally located at Kinsmen Civic Centre, the clinic for people without COVID-19 symptoms is now located at Northcrest Arena (100 Marina Blvd, Peterborough). It’s open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on week days.