Hammond company conducting COVID testing

HAMMOND, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — A northwest Indiana company has joined a growing list of businesses conducting testing for COVID-19. Hammond-based Alverno Laboratories says it aims to help reduce the turnaround time for testing results.

Chief Executive Officer Sam Terese says the company’s central laboratory has been able to keep up the pace with testing due to vendor partnerships that have continued to provide adequate testing kits.

“Not only are we testing, we have maintained our turnaround time goal of 12- 24 hours,” said Terese. “To date, we can test all specimens received at our central laboratory and keep pace with demand. At this time, we are receiving adequate supplies of test kits from our testing partner and will be able to maintain our daily testing to about 700 patients.”

Alverno says, due to limited resources, testing is being done on a priority basis for high acuity patients and exposed or symptomatic healthcare workers. The company says non-high acuity testing will be performed as capacity allows but if capacity is exceeded, those specimens will be sent to another lab for testing.

Terese adds there continues to be a short supply of collection swabs for testing nationwide.

“Our innovative team is looking at alternative swabs and media to utilize for specimen collection. We are also focusing on how to manage the process from within our systems to have a positive effect on patient care,” Terese said. “Not a small feat when you consider we serve over 35 hospitals thorough Indiana and Illinois, along with parts of Michigan that include some of the hardest hit areas in the U.S. Our teams continue to look ahead and are working on solutions before they are needed.”

Terese says Alverno has been conducting testing 24/7 since the effort began.