While perhaps eye-watering, the swab used for a polymerase chain reaction assay is part of a decades-long diagnostic revolution. To help ease the delay, Quest is reactivating its lab referral program which sends some tests to partner labs.Raise your hand if you’ve experienced a far-reaching nasal swab at least once in the last 12 months. We value our patients’ trust to keep them informed and safe and are committed to providing the highest level of service to our clients and to the overall healthcare industry."Īnother lab serving North Texas is Quest Diagnostics.Ī spokesperson tells NBC 5 a surge in demand for COVID-19 tests has led to longer turnaround times, taking an average of two to three days. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has undoubtedly caused our valued clients and appreciate their patience as we navigate through this unprecedented demand. We are working to report results as quickly as possible and expect to return to a 48-hour turnaround time in the coming weeks. Traditionally, our PCR test results are available 24-36 hours after receipt of the specimen, however, due to the recent unforeseen circumstances, we are experiencing longer than normal processing times. To remedy the situation, we are rapidly increasing our staff, broadening our operating hours, and opening additional drive-thru locations in order to reduce wait times. "Due to the drastic increase in demand for COVID-19 testing over the holidays as a result of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, we are experiencing delays in turnaround times for our COVID-19 PCR test results. “We also have chat available on our web portals as well as emails.”Īlthough she was not convinced it was accurate, Castillo feels fortunate to have received a rapid test which led to her isolating herself from her husband and baby as she awaited her PCR results from GeneIQ. “We try to actually make sure that we do engage with everybody,” he said. Hartman says his lab’s call center has been inundated with calls and asks for patience and understanding. Some people report calling customer service numbers for answers only to be placed on hold for hours before their call is dropped. Hartman says it’s also good to reach out to the provider where your shot was given. His advice? Get an antigen test if possible, “so you can get a quick read.” “With these massive waves coming through, this has caused a bit of delay in getting some results out there.” “Across the United States, the lab capacity was already quite low coming through the pandemic,” said Hartman. More demand means longer wait times for results. “At the peak last year, we did 60,000 tests in one day we’ve had multiple days of over 120,000 patient interactions.” “This is about three to four times the volume that we’ve seen,” he said. Hartman says his laboratory is serving Frisco and beginning this week, Dallas, and reports a sharp rise in testing demand beginning on the east coast and now becoming more pronounced in Texas. “All the labs are doing their best to keep up with, but it is just a monumental volume that’s never been seen before,” said NOMI Health founder and CTO Boe Hartman. Medical professionals consider the polymerase chain reaction, PCR, test more accurate and reliable than rapid antigen tests.Ĭities and counties contract with a number of certified laboratories to process testing results, including NOMI Health based in Austin. One injured in shooting at Town East Mall, arrest madeĪ number of people say they’ve waited anywhere from three to six days for their COVID-19 PCR test results.
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