Through our partnership with IU Health, Ball State University is providing free virtual COVID-19 screenings to our faculty, staff and students.
Students, faculty, and staff must first use the symptom checker at iuhealth.org/covid19 to check for COVID-19 symptoms. The symptom checker BOT check icon is in the lower left corner of the page. If you are symptomatic, the checker will give you a path or referral to the appropriate medical service.
Students, faculty, and staff who experience COVID-19 symptoms (without a separate diagnosed cause, e.g. asthma, allergies, etc.) may be referred to the coronavirus screening service through IU Health Virtual Visit app. If symptoms indicate COVID-19, IU Health will order a COVID-19 test and provide instructions to the appropriate specimen collection site. Virtual screening with a RN is available through the app 24/7.
Students who feel the need to be evaluated for symptoms after the virtual coronavirus screening may call the Student Health Center at 765-285-8431 to schedule an appointment. Employees who would like additional symptom evaluation beyond the virtual screening should contact their primary care provider. The Employee Quick Clinic may be an option for employees who have an urgent need and a primary care provider is not available.
Students who choose to use primary care provider for COVID-19 related medical care, must report a positive COVID-19 test to the University.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Virtual Screening Clinic connects patients via video with nurses to screen patients from home, potentially eliminating the need to visit physician offices, urgent cares, or emergency departments. The team will recommend and facilitate appropriate pathways for care.
To use the app, you need to have access to the internet and can connect using a smart phone, tablet, or computer.
The Virtual Screening Clinic is only available through the IU Health Virtual Visits app and will be presented as an option if you are found to be symptomatic and need additional medical care.
If you are referred to the IU Health Virtual Visit app, you will need to enroll using the “sign up” option and complete your personal profile. If you have private insurance, please include your insurance information when you enroll. You must use your address where you currently live, and personal cell phone number when enrolling in the app. You are encouraged to use a non-Ball State email address that you check on a regular basis.
Employees should use their permanent home address and a non-Ball State email address to enroll.
Effective December 30, 2021, the IU Health Virtual Screening Clinic will only screen patients through the Team Member COVID-19 Screening tile of the IU Health Virtual Visits app. Ball State students and employees will need to enter a one-time service key (BALL), to gain access to the Team Member COVID-19 Screening tile. Read step-by-step instructions (PDF).
Yes, the screening is only available to currently enrolled Ball State students and employees physically located in the State of Indiana. At this time, virtual services are not available across state lines because our clinicians aren’t licensed to practice in other states.
No, insurance is not required to use the coronavirus virtual screening services. However, private health insurance is accepted and will be billed directly for COVID-19 tests.
Yes, the screening is free for students and employees. However, if as a result of the screening the medical provider recommends a COVID-19 test, private health insurance can be billed for the test.
You will not be billed for any outstanding charges for a COVID-19 test if you don’t have insurance or your insurance does not cover the entire cost of the test.
Employees are strongly encouraged to use their primary care provider or local healthcare provider. However, Coronavirus screening through the IU Health Virtual Visit app is available to employees who do not have access to other healthcare providers.
Yes, IU Health can connect the patient and provider with a translator to help complete the screening.
Wait times vary based on call volumes.
This varies depending on each patient’s unique case.
There may be instances the Student Health Center may refer students to the coronavirus screening through the app prior to being seen at the Student Health Center.
No, we determine the closest hospital for you and then communicate directly with that facility to facilitate your safe arrival. Students and employees in Muncie will be directed to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. EMS staff will be informed that you are under investigation or have a positive COVID-19 test.
Currently, the Virtual Screening Clinic cannot integrate with a third party interpretive service app. However, there is an ability for an additional participant to be added to the visit who could be utilized as an interpreter during the COVID-19 Virtual Screening.
Yes, you should use the Virtual Screening Clinic anytime you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms that cannot be explained by a separate diagnosis. IU Health Virtual Care RNs are available 24/7 for Virtual Visits and can access the app 24/7. If you have new onset of viral or flu-like symptoms; these include but are not limited to: new cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, or muscles aches, congestion, headache, chills/shaking chills, loss of taste and/or smell within the past 14 days.
IU Health requires patients to use their legal name because this is a medical service and creates a medical record. Legal names are also required by insurance companies to verify coverage and to pay patient charges.
Yes. You will still need your legal name because this is a medical service and creates a medical record for each patient.
No. This service is only available to Ball State students and employees. Note that this is a free screening.
The virtual COVID-19 screening is free for Ball State students, faculty and staff. If a COVID-19 test is needed, IU Health will bill your insurance for the COVID-19 test. You will not be responsible for charges that are not covered by insurance.
Most screening visits take between 10 and 20 minutes, but due to the volume of visits, you could experience a wait before you begin your screening visit.
Possibly. Based on your screening visit results, you may be referred to a remote specimen collection site at the Student Health Center or IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital for a test. If testing is not recommended by the screener, students can call the Health Center to schedule an appointment if they would like to be evaluated by a healthcare provider.
Faculty and staff should use their primary care provider if they would like to be evaluated further.
Patients need to bring their license or other photo ID and the testing referral note located in “Messages” on the Virtual Visit app.
Registration and collection will take approximately 15-20 minutes.
The test results should be available within a few days of specimen collection but could take longer depending on the volume of tests collected.
The testing site at the Student Health Center is not a drive-thru site. The COVID-19 clinic at the Health Center will be using a separate entrance than the regular clinic to isolate those who may be symptomatic from other patients.
The site at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital is a drive-thru testing site at this time.
If you do not have your own transportation, do not use public transportation or a ride share service (Ball State shuttle, MITS bus, Uber, taxi) to go to a specimen collection site to limit exposure to others who may be sharing public transportation.
At this time, only PCR testing for COVID-19 is offered.
A member of the Virtual Screening Clinic or the Health Center will contact you using the phone number you provided during your initial screening visit to share your test results with you. You will receive a call about any negative or positive result. A message will also be delivered to you within the message center of the app.
Students must use their local Muncie address (on-campus or off-campus) and personal cell phone number when they enroll in the app. Faculty and staff may use their permanent home address.
The IU Health remote specimen collection sites in Muncie are at IU Ball Memorial Hospital and the Student Health Center. If you do not have your own transportation, do not use public transportation or a ride share service (Ball State shuttle, MITS bus, Uber, taxi) to go to a specimen collection site.
The Student Health Center is located at 1500 W. Neely Ave.
You should use the parking lot on the north side of the building.
You will see signs with instructions directing you towards the door on the northeast corner of the building, near Kinghorn Hall.
You will need to call the number on the signs to advise the Health Center staff that you have arrived for your test. They will advise you of when to enter for your test collection.
Tests are only done by appointment which is scheduled through the Virtual Visit app after a screening for coronavirus.
No. You should remain in self-isolation until you receive your COVID-19 test results.
Based on the result, you will be instructed on return to school or work guidelines and when to connect back with the treating medical care provider. If you used the Virtual Screening Clinic and need a medical clearance note to return to work or school, the virtual screening clinic can provide a note.
If you use another medical provider, you must contact that medical provider for a note that you are cleared to return to work or school.
It is your responsibility to keep your friends, family, roommates, and close contacts informed of your test results. Only you will receive your results and it is up to you to decide with whom you share your results.
Positive test results will be shared with the Indiana State Department of Health and Ball State University for contact tracing.
Contact tracing begins with an interview with you about your whereabouts prior to the onset of symptoms and with whom you may have “close contact.”
It is your responsibility to keep your supervisor updated on your work status during this process. Only you will receive your results, and it is up to you to decide with whom you share your results.
Positive test results will be shared with the Indiana State Department of Health and Ball State University to engage in contact tracing.
Timely quarantine and isolation is a critical mitigation strategy for stopping the spread of COVID-19. If you live in the residence halls and you cannot return to your permanent place of residence to quarantine or isolate, you will be moved to quarantine or isolation housing.
Students who are screened and testing is recommended will be instructed to isolate. You must immediately notify the hall staff who will make arrangements for isolation housing.
If you do not live in the residence halls, you are expected to quarantine or isolate at your current place of residence. If returning to a permanent place of residence is a better option, you should consider using that option.
Call IU Health at 317-944-8011 and leave a voicemail message. Someone will return your call.