COVID-19 Testing FAQ

Universal testing is COVID-19 testing of all patients admitted to MMMC, including through the emergency department, laboring mothers, and direct admissions, regardless of symptoms. This also includes pretesting for outpatient procedures and ongoing testing of all patients who remain admitted to the hospital.

Universal testing is being done to prevent any potential exposure to patients, employees, or providers by helping to identify COVID-19 patients who may be carriers yet present with no symptoms. It’s a “catch-all” testing for all inpatients, regardless of symptoms. Universal testing helps to identify positive patients from the moment they enter our doors, even if they don’t have any symptoms, and allows us to isolate them and take other precautions to protect other patients, providers, and staff from possible exposure. This also helps the hospital better manage appropriate use of PPE supplies and establish the level of care needed.

Most testing is done in the MMMC emergency department. OB patients are tested in the Labor and Delivery unit once admitted.

Test results are available within three hours and most patients wait in the emergency department for results. Laboring moms remain in a L&D room until test results are returned.

Maui Health and Clinical Labs of Hawaii have recently acquired a Hologic Panther machine that is able to run about 1,000 tests per day. Currently, at Maui Health, we have ample testing supplies for our employees and patients.

Any patient that exhibits symptoms of COVID will be immediately isolated regardless of testing status - that includes asymptomatic patients that are positive.

Warm units are hospital medical units that are converted to isolation areas for any suspected positive or confirmed positive patients. MMMC always has a warm unit open and can expand to include more warm units if the needs arise.

Antibody testing is used to detect past exposure to COVID-19. It does not ensure immunity to the virus and is used primarily for research studies. It does not test for active virus activity.

Yes, MMMC is highly prepared for any increase in COVID-19 cases. We learned a lot from our first experience with COVID and have made many changes. We are actively preparing with the continuous work done by our dedicated team of physicians and leaders through our Emergency Operations Center. We are constantly sourcing and building our supply of PPE, have increased our communication efforts and channels, instituted universal COVID testing and masking protocols, have ongoing testing for patients and employees, continue with enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of patient rooms and common areas, including the use of new Optimum-UV Enlight System, and are actively engaged and closely aligned with our Mayor, Department of Health and other state agencies, as well as hotel and travel industry partners, to better coordinate communication and other efforts. For more information, click here.