COVID-19 Testing
Potomac Pediatrics is partnering with local schools to keep families, staff, and students safe during this COVID-19 pandemic.
If your school is already participating in on-site COVID-19 testing clinics you may sign up here if you were unable to attend.
Each individual getting tested will need to sign their own consent form, and create their own lab portal account through Potomac Pediatrics.
Location: Potomac Pediatrics- 15204 Omega Drive, Suite 100, Rockville MD, 20850
NOTE: If you or your child are in need of testing due to recent exposure or because you’ve become symptomatic we encourage you to contact your PCP or PM Pediatrics to get tested.
Registration and Results:
Please read all instructions before clicking on any links and please complete the steps in the order that they’re provided.
- Click Here to register for your Capital Diagnostics lab portal account (we recommend using Chrome) Site code: POPCOVID . Please note, all questions in the portal are required by the Maryland Department of Health for reporting purposes. If you’ve previously registered for past testing clinics with Capital Diagnostics under Potomac Pediatrics site code, you do not need to register again.
- Click Here to complete the registration process and select your time (everyone must do this step).
If you have previously registered for an appointment at our office (for testing), please click here for instructions on how to schedule additional appointments.
Results are typically returned within 24-48 hours. If your results are negative, you will receive an automated email notification once the results are posted to your portal account.
It is your responsibility to provide these results to your child’s school (if testing outside of school hours). Positive results will first receive a phone call regarding their results and then they will be promptly posted to your portal. In addition, if you’re positive, your results will be reported to the Maryland Health Department and you should expect to also receive a phone call from them for contract tracing purposes.
Billing:
- Potomac Pediatrics will be billing for a nurse visit (CPT: 99211 with Dx: Z03.818) for the sample collection.
- Capital Diagnostic Laboratories will be billing each student’s insurance for the COVID-19 PCR test.
- NOTE: We do not accept Medicare or Medicaid for testing.
Financial Disclaimer: Most health insurance plans are covering all COVID-19 related visits and testing at 100% with no patient responsibility. However, out of state and/or self-funded employer plans may process your claim with some patient responsibility. We are committed to providing this service to families in the community and if we receive a claim back assigning patient responsibility we will NOT be billing you for any balances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I’m already a patient at Potomac Pediatrics?
- We encourage existing patients to utilize these special testing dates at the school for ease of reporting results back to the school. However, you may schedule an appointment in our office at any time.
What if I don’t have insurance?
- In order for the lab to submit your information to get the CARES act to cover the cost of your test, you will need to provide your social security number when registering in the portal. Please note, this is a mandatory requirement in order for Potomac Pediatrics and Capital Diagnostics to get reimbursed under the CARES Act.
What is Potomac Pediatrics’ experience with COVID-19 testing?
- Potomac Pediatrics partners with multiple labs to process COVID-19 PCR testing. Our team of nurses is actively collecting samples on approximately 150 patients per day for our current patients. On a standard day, we are swabbing for and running in-house Rapid Antigen testing as well as collecting samples for PCR testing. Most patients in our office opt to have both test runs and therefore our nurses are doing approximately 300 swabs per day!
Can I swab my own child?
- We don’t allow the parents to collect the sample. If we’re going to put your child through getting swabbed we want to ensure we’re getting a sample with as many cells as possible so the lab can run it. A sample with too few cells on it will be rejected from the lab. Meaning, your child would need to get tested again in order to return to school. We’re confident that with our years of pediatric experience you will find our approach to be warm, compassionate, and efficient.
My child doesn’t go to Potomac Pediatrics and I don’t want to switch pediatricians.
Great news, you don’t have to! Our partnership with Capital Diagnostics and local schools is strictly for COVID-19 testing. There is no expectation that your family will become a patient at Potomac Pediatrics. We value your established relationship with your current pediatrician and believe in continuity of care.