Drive thru swab

• Who: Pediatric and adult patients with CF

• What: A drive-thru option for throat swab cultures

• Where: John Wall Drive Collection Site, 3819 John Wall Drive, Madison, WI 53704 - UW Health COVID-19 testing site in east Madison

• Why: To offer an additional throat swab testing option for patients that will be having telemedicine/video appointments

Steps to schedule:

1. Call your CF clinic to set up an appointment

2. Receive site instructions from scheduling team

3. Check out our website for more resources

Throat swab cultures at the drive-thru testing site are available by appointment only and must be coordinated with your CF Care team. Appointments are available 7 days per week. Please contact your CF clinic via MyChart or phone for more information on drive-thru testing and scheduling options.

Additional information:

• This drive-thru site option was developed by your CF care team, infectious disease specialists, clinic and testing site management, lab personnel and nurses.

• Drive-thru swab collection is also being done at other CF centers across the country during the pandemic.

• Collection occurs at the UW Health COVID-19 testing drive-thru site. The development team and your CF providers feel that it is safe for CF patients to have throat swabs done here.

  • System designed for minimal contact with the patient

  • By appointment only with set number of appointment slots to limit number of patients/vehicles at site at any time

  • Strict infection control practices are followed. Suits are cleaned and gloves changed between patients.

  • The drive-thru collection site contains an excellent air filtration system that filters out both pathogens and car exhaust from the air.

• Only throat swab specimens will be collected. Expectorated samples will not be taken.

• Swabs are collected by trained UW Health staff. Collection by patient/caregiver is not permitted.

• Sputum cultures can still be collected at in-person clinic visits or by making a "Nurse Visit" appointment for sputum culture collection in clinic.

* This information was current as of December 2020. Please contact your clinic for the latest information as situations may change during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here is the link to a page for you to print and hold up to the window indicating the patient name and date of birth: JWD Site (pdf)

If you do not have a home printer, please write clearly on a sheet of paper the patient's name, date of birth and the words "CF TEST".

View a description of the procedure for performing the throat swab (pdf)