Free Allergy Testing Offered at Railway Museum

Do you suffer during pollen season? Break out in a rash seemingly without reason. Wonder if you have allergies and what might be triggering an allergic reaction? You can find out Saturday, May 18, when the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth and Atlanta Physicians Group again will offer free testing and free museum admission during May, which is National Allergy Month.

The museum partnered with APG to offer free testing initially on May 4. The program was so successful that the partners will duplicate the offer on May 18, once more offering testing and a day at the museum free to those who want to be tested, according to a news release. The program will run during the museum’s normal operating hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

APG will make a donation to the museum for each person tested. “We raise money, but we also introduce the museum to some folk who might not have visited if we hadn't offered the testing and free admission,” Southeastern Railway Administrator Randy Pirkle said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to offer a little extra to our visitors, and open up transportation history to a wider audience.”

Dr. Shue Kothari, CEO of Atlanta Physicians Group, said the museum program is part of his group’s effort to test as many people as possible. “A lot of people have undiagnosed allergies, including both food allergies and sensitivity to dust, pollen, and other airborne allergens. For those with mild allergies, this means they just don’t feel as good as they could. People with more serious allergies could be risking significant health problems. Treatment is usually both easy and effective – but people need to be tested.”

The tests to be administered at the museum cover a much broader range of allergens, according to Kothari. “Traditional food allergy tests only cover 60 potential allergies; the test we will be using covers more than 150.” A brush-on test will discover allergies to another 60 airborne substances.

In addition to the allergy testing, APG will have a physician on site to perform routine ear, nose and throat exams prior to testing. Additional medical personnel will be on hand to assist with testing and help the doctor respond to any reaction patients may have to the tests.

The tests, which will establish sensitivities to common airborne and food allergens, are covered by most insurance programs and will be offered without co-pays to museum visitors and volunteers, according to the news release. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and all participants must be pre-certified by their health insurance company to be tested. A simple one-page precertification form can be obtained from the museum website. The completed form should be either faxed or emailed to APG for processing no later than Wednesday, May 15.

Individuals who submit the completed pre-certification form will be notified in advance concerning their insurance company approval status. Tests will be offered without co-payments, and in the event that a particular insurer requires additional payment the patient will be informed ahead of time. If more people submit forms than can be seen in one day, additional testing times will be scheduled.

Anyone seeking additional information on allergy testing at the museum should contact Constance Scott, Director of Operations at Atlanta Physicians Group, at 770-938-2625 or 678-328-0582 or constance.samg@gmail.com.

In operation since 1970, the Southeastern Railway Museum is Georgia’s Official Transportation History Museum. Occupying a 35-acre site in Duluth at 3595 Buford Highway just north of Pleasant Hill Road and south of downtown Duluth, the museum offers exhibits dealing with the history and importance of transportation inluding an extensive collection of rolling railroad stock.

Because many of the exhibits are outdoors, the Southeastern Railway Museum varies its operating hours seasonally. Current days and hours, along with educational programming and other information, are available on the museum website at www.SoutheasternRailwayMuseum.org.