BayCare Services Shifting in Polk County to Respond to COVID-19

Clearwater, Fla., (April 3, 2020) – A BayCare drive-thru COVID-19 test collection site that has been operating in Haines City for more than two weeks will move to Bartow starting Monday. The change will enable BayCare Health System to reopen its Haines City Urgent Care and align all urgent care services in the community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are excited to move this service to serve another part of the community, as well as add more access to care for the entire community” said Jim Cote, senior vice president for BayCare Ambulatory Services.

The new location for the drive-thru COVID-19 test collection site will be on the northside of Bartow Regional Medical Center, 2200 Osprey Blvd, Bartow. It will operate Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. Patients should be referred by their physician for testing.

The relocation allows BayCare to return its Haines City Urgent Care center, 36245 U.S. Highway 27, to full service hours starting Saturday. 

Then, starting on Monday, Polk County’s two BayCare Urgent Care locations will be paired to allow for separate facilities to serve those with upper-respiratory symptoms versus patients with other ailments. BayCare has adopted this model across its Urgent Care network in response to the novel coronavirus.

The Haines City Urgent Care center will be dedicated to serving patients with upper-respiratory related symptoms such as cough, cold, sore throat and shortness of breath. Patients with other symptoms will be directed to the BayCare Urgent Care center in Winter Haven, 400 1st St N.

Hours for both the Haines City and Winter Haven urgent care centers are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

About BayCare Health System

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org.