June 27, 2020
Media Contact:
Charlie Gischlar, Deputy Director, Communications, Maryland Department of Health, charles.gischlar@maryland.gov
Maryland Department of Health issues order requiring local lab to cease collection and processing of COVID-19 specimens
Marylanders who received COVID-19 tests associated with Advanced Pain Medicine Institute are encouraged to be retested
BALTIMORE, MD – Secretary Robert R. Neall of the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today issued an order requiring Advanced Pain Medicine Institute (APMI), which has offices in Greenbelt, MD, to terminate immediately all collection and processing of COVID-19 specimens.
Order No. MDH 2020-06-27-01 was issued after MDH received a complaint about COVID-19 testing sites operated in coordination with APMI. An investigation by MDH into operations at the APMI sites revealed concerns, including APMI’s lack of a certification to perform COVID-19 tests and patients’ inability to obtain test results.
APMI has conducted COVID-19 testing at several events in recent days, including:
- June 6, 2020 at Church of Philippi, 7422 Race Rd., Hanover, MD 21076
- June 13, 2020 at Southern Baptist Church, 1701 North Chester St., Baltimore, MD 21213
- June 16, 2020 at Bilingual Christian Church, 6000 Erdman Ave., Baltimore, MD 21205
Patients who received COVID-19 tests at any of these events are advised that results may be erroneous. These patients are encouraged to consider getting another test and, if symptomatic, to seek medical attention.
Under today’s order, APMI is being required to notify patients that their test results may be erroneous and to provide a complete accounting of all individuals that it tested to MDH. A separate letter issued by MDH’s Office of Health Care Quality suspends APMI’s license to operate a medical laboratory and perform all laboratory testing.
“The Maryland Department of Health’s primary concern is the health and safety of Marylanders,” said Secretary Neall. “Until Advanced Pain Medicine Institute demonstrates that it is in full compliance with the Code of Maryland Regulations, it must cease all COVID-19 specimen collection and processing.”
MDH is working in conjunction with the local health departments in Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and Baltimore City to ensure that those who were tested at the events listed above are aware of this action and where they may be retested.
A list of major testing sites in the state can be found at https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/symptoms-testing.
A copy of the secretary’s order can be found at: https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/Documents/06.27.2020%20-%20MDH%20Order%20-%20APMI.pdf
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