With the rise of COVID-19, this year has been unpredictable for medical professionals such as Dr. Ramesh Peramsetty, the chief physician and owner of Crimson Care and First Care.
"We have been here for Tuscaloosa's urgent and primary care needs since 1998, and it has been important to me to remain open for our community, even in the middle of a pandemic, we don’t see it slowing down just yet." says Dr. Peramsetty.
Speaking of not slowing down: for Dr. Peramsetty and his staff at Crimson Care and First Care, it only takes 15 minutes to diagnose you with COVID-19 with their new rapid test.
However, Dr. Peramsetty is not only focused on COVID-19 testing. If you've sprained an arm, have a rash, or some other medical disorder, he and his staff are here to help.
Dr. Peramsetty Announces COVID Rapid 15-Minute Test
Crimson Care Primary & Urgent Care is among the first providers in the Tuscaloosa area to begin administering the COVID Abbott Molecular Rapid test. This test has a 90% accuracy rate, and patients get results in just 15 minutes.
Dr. Peramsetty says, “If you come to Crimson Care or First Care with COVID-like symptoms such as a noticeable fever or loss of taste and/or smell, we’re going to give you a rapid test. The goal is to get you quickly quarantined and provide you with some relief from some of your symptoms.”
Crimson Care and First Care also provides PCR testing for COVID-19, the most accurate testing method most required by workplaces and schools. Results are available from the PCR test within 24 hours. If patients aren’t suffering from any symptoms, but they have been exposed to the virus, this is the test we’ll perform.
Drive-up Testing for COVID and Flu
Need testing for the COVID virus or the flu? You don’t even have to come inside the building here at Crimson Care or First Care, with locations at McFarland, Skyland, and Veterans Memorial.
Here’s the way the testing works, according to Dr. Peramsetty:
Drive up to our designated testing area and pick your paperwork from the med team outside.
Once your paperwork is completed, bring it back to our team and we will call you to drive underneath the awning once you are checked in and put into our system.
A medical professional will then do a telehealth visit with one of our doctors inside the building, determining your testing and treatment plan.
We will then swab you and collect your information. If you are showing COVID symptoms, we’ll conduct the rapid test with you, delivering your results in 15 minutes. If you’re being tested for the flu or you do not yet have active COVID symptoms, we’ll perform the 24 hour PCR test and send you on your way to receive your results later by telephone.
We are open for all your medical issues in Tuscaloosa, not just COVID-19
Dr. Peramsetty and the Crimson Care team at each of our Urgent Care facilities are open for operation for all types of ailments. We can help you with your Primary Care needs for all ages and genders, from annual examinations and testing to other types of common issues such as sports physicals, x-ray, or shots, just to name a few examples. Crimson Care Skyland and First Care on McFarland also are occupational health centers, which is a helping hand to local businesses.
Crimson Care Skyland also has our own Urgent Mental Health Center. We are a bridge to getting you the proper care needed. We see individuals with anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems to offer referrals for psychiatry and counseling services by appointment.
Dr. Peramsetty shares, “We have seen an increase in the need for mental health treatment during COVID-19, where people are more socially isolated than usual. We offer help for those patients who are having a hard time coping, and we pride ourselves on providing a ‘safe space’ and a compassionate atmosphere as a bridge for patients’ next steps in addressing their mental health.”
Also, we have a telemedicine option where you can meet with a provider by phone if you’re not ready to come to one of our facilities in person. You can reach out to us on Facebook or give us a call at any of our three locations to schedule an appointment.
“Remaining open and available to our patients during the coronavirus has been so important to me personally,” remarked Dr. Peramsetty. “The health needs of our community outside COVID-19 haven’t stopped just because we’re in a pandemic. We’re proud to be a leader of urgent, primary, and mental health during this time, and we encourage you to reach out to us in times of illness, accidents, and of course - COVID-19 testing.”
Let Crimson Care provide you with the best medical services Tuscaloosa has to offer
Dr. Ramesh Peramsetty -- along with the whole Crimson Care clinical staff -- is committed to offering critical medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crimson Care has three convenient locations for our patients in Tuscaloosa: Skyland, Veterans Memorial, and McFarland. We offer extended weekd
ay hours and Saturday and Sunday hours. We are a one-stop treatment facility, including medical care, x-rays, lab work, and prescription dispensing. Visit our website, or call us today at Crimson Care Veterans: (205) 507-1100, Crimson Care Skyland: (205) 507-1119, or First Care: (205) 349-2323.