BARRIE, ONT. —
The COVID-19 assessment centre in Orillia is using technology to help speed things up as the lineups for testing grow significantly.

The new device resembles an old, chunky cellphone, but it works to cut the amount of time health care staff spend registering patients.

The device quickly scans a patient’s health card and driver’s license, saving staff from having to handwrite the information and then transfer it into a computer.

Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital’s assessment centre is the first hospital-based centre in Ontario to implement the new technology.

The COVID testing centre processed its most ever tests in a single day at 300 last week, and with the new technology, staff believe they can bump that up to 500 per day.

If the pilot project is proven successful, it could expand to other assessment centres dealing with long lines of people wanting COVID testing across the province.