Nawaloka Hospitals launches SL’s first ‘drive-thru channeling lab’

Committing towards enhancing patient safety and comfort during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nawaloka Hospitals, recently launched the country’s very first, state-of-the-art ‘drive-thru express lab’ in Colombo and Negombo. The latest addition to Nawaloka’s well-regarded chain of medical Laboratories, the express lab is fully-geared to ensure safety, security, accuracy and convenience in all its transactions. This first-of-its-kind laboratory was declared open by Nawaloka Hospitals PLC Chairman, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa and Deputy Chairman Harshith Dharmadasa. 

Apart from convenient, in-vehicle PCR tests, the Nawaloka Drive-thru Lab facilitates a broad spectrum of blood and urine investigations, enabling patients to dispatch the necessary testing samples in a record time of six minutes right from the safety and comfort of their vehicle. The reports of these investigations can be emailed to them, viewed on the NawalokaCare mobile app or collected from the drive-thru counter when they are ready. Patients are also able to get CT and MRI reports, make channeling appointments with the experienced team of over 600 consultants at Nawaloka Hospitals, and secure appointments for ultra-sound scans.

Available at both Nawaloka Hospitals Colombo and Negombo, patients just have to drive to the collection point and drop off their testing samples or make appointments with the help of trained medical staff in secure gear. By remaining in their own vehicles throughout, patients minimize contact with other people, reducing the risk of infection for everyone – patients, medical professionals, and the general public. Additionally, Nawaloka Hospitals has set up a network of PCR collection centers at Gamapaha Nawaloka Medicare, Kandy Suwasevana hospital and Nawaloka Lab Galle. The hospital also currently harbours plans to set up two new PCR collection centers in Ratnapura and Kurunegala.

“With the recent spike in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Sri Lanka, safety has become a paramount concern of daily life. It has also increased the country’s need for immediate, accurate and convenient diagnostic solutions. Launching this new drive through, express lab for the first time in Sri Lanka, has allowed us to better serve the urgent needs of all our patients who have placed their invaluable trust in our services, in a more efficient manner that guarantees the safety of all stakeholders. While earlier it generally took patients over 30 minutes to sort out their requirements, we are happy to state that the express lab has been able to cut this time down to just six minutes” opined Nawaloka Hospitals Deputy Chairman Harshith Dharmadasa.