Region's COVID-19 testing centres see rise in appointment no shows

Healthcare workers running some of the region's COVID-19 testing centres are urging the public to call ahead if they don't plan to attend their appointment.

COVID-19 testing centres across the province are now by appointment only and some healthcare workers in the region say there's been a spike in people who don't show up for an appointment they've made.

Rex Mohamed, an operations lead for the KW4 testing centre on Westmount Road in Waterloo, told CBC News the clinic had 17 no shows on Tuesday, and a total of 50 over the last two weeks.

"It's really a waste of resources because not only are the physicians ready, the nurses, staff have prepared all of the paper work and then it all goes to waste," he said, adding the centre has 150 appointments available every day.

"That appointment could have been utilized by someone who was in much need of that appointment."

Mohamed said staff took the time Tuesday night to call people scheduled for Wednesday, and heard from a dozen individuals who said they had received a test somewhere else are were not planning to attend.

"It was a random check we were doing and we found that the first 12 appointments were going to be no shows, so we would have had three hours wasted," he said.

Mohamed said it can sometimes be a challenge for people to get in touch due to busy phone lines, but adds people can also email the clinic ahead of time to let them know. 

He adds staff at the clinic are now calling people a day ahead to confirm their appointment.

People may be booking multiple appointments

Mohamed and Sarah Sullivan, operations manager for Grand River Hospital's drive thru centre in Kitchener, said that a rise in no shows may be due to people booking several appointments and then attending the centre with the earliest availability.

"People I think are anxious and are wanting to seek testing and may be booking at more than one assessment centre and then going with the earliest appointment," Sullivan told CBC News.

Sullivan said the drive thru centre has 550 appointment available daily. Some days, up to 100 people fail to show up for a scheduled appointment.

"On average, over the last nine days we've been seeing 450," she said, noting there's no fine or fee if someone misses a testing appointment like there might be if they miss an appointment with their doctor or dentist.

"It seems to vary every day, but definitely some people are not showing up when they are taking a time slot," she said.

Sullivan and Mohamed are urging people call ahead and cancel the appointment if they are not going to attend so that it becomes available for others seeking testing in the community.

"We encourage people to continue to call back and we are doing our best to answer the phone lines," she said.