Free COVID-19 Testing offered on the Homer Spit UPDATED INFORMATION

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South Peninsula Hospital is offering free COVID-19 testing at the Boat House Pavilion on the Homer Spit daily (except Wednesdays) through Saturday, June 13, from 9am-5pm. There is no charge to the individual for testing. This testing is offered only to individuals who fit one of the following criteria:

  • working in critical infrastructure or the fishing industry,
  • have had recent travel out of state,
  • have been exposed to someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19,
  • they have new onset of any symptom related to COVID-19,
  • have a provider referral.

Results should be available within 48 hours via the hospital’s patient portal. No appointments are necessary. Individuals are asked to provide a driver’s license or state I.D., email address, social security number and phone number to register, and show an insurance card if insured. The pavilion is located at the top of ramp two, near the public restrooms at the Homer Harbor.

Additional testing is available 24/7 at the hospital’s main entrance parking lot at 4300 Bartlett Street, Homer. For more information about testing, call the covid nurse at the hospital at 235-0235. For more information on South Peninsula Hospital’s COVID-19 response, contact Derotha Ferraro at (907) 399-6212.

South Peninsula Hospital welcomes new physician and unit director

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Matthew Swain, DO and his wife, Stephanie, BSN, RN, are new members of the South Peninsula Hospital health care team.

Dr. Swain, Board Certified in Family Medicine, is joining the hospital’s Active Medical Staff, and is practicing at Homer Medical Center.  For the last three years he was the Chief of Primary Care for The Veteran’s Affairs Alaska Health Care System based in Anchorage, where he was the clinical supervisor for 29 physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants across six facilities. He has practiced primary care for fifteen years, most of that at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where he held leadership positions of Senior Medical Officer of Branch Clinics, Wounded Warrior Battalion Surgeon, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and General Practice Physician.

Dr. Swain received his medical degree at Midwestern University, and did his residency training at Naval Hospitals in Pensacola, Florida and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Stephanie Swain, BSN, RN, BSHA, is the new Acute Care Director at the hospital. She will oversee the inpatient unit, emergency department, birthing center and respiratory therapy departments. Stephanie was most recently the Service Chief and Nurse Manager for the Veteran’s Affairs Social and Behavioral Health Services in Anchorage. She was a psychiatric nurse at Brynn Marr Hospital in Jacksonville, NC. She got her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at Arizona State University, and her B.S. in Health Care Administration at University of Phoenix. Stephanie brings experience in ICU nursing, psychiatric nursing, and clinical team development.

The Swains moved to Anchorage in 2017 following a trip to Alaska when they instantly fell in love with Homer and made a commitment to one day call this home. They arrived to Homer last week, with their two teenage daughters, a Great Dane dog and two Maine Coon cats. They look forward to becoming part of all that Homer has to offer, especially the quality of life.

Dr. Swain is now seeing patients at Homer Medical Center. Stephanie started in her role at the hospital on Monday.