COVID-19 testing

Any person exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should discuss testing with their provider. Older adults and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more serious complications. Some surgeons may require a negative test prior to certain elective surgical procedures, so be sure to check with your surgeon.

A sample is usually collected from the nose and sometimes from the back of the throat, similar to a strep test. This mildly uncomfortable process is the same one used to test for influenza. It takes just a few seconds.

The provider then packages the samples according to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and then the samples are shipped to a laboratory. The laboratory tests the specimens for the presence of the new coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

For rapid testing, results are collected on-site and you will know your results before you leave. If your sample needs to be sent out for confirmatory testing, the provider then packages the samples according to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the samples are shipped to a laboratory. The provider or someone from our trained clinical staff will put on protective clothes, a mask and face shield, and then collect samples.

We offer two types of COVID-19 tests:

• A rapid test that provides results within minutes — We offer rapid COVID-19 testing at all our locations. The Quidel Sofia is an antigen rapid test.
• A test that is sent to an outside laboratory — The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is the gold standard in COVID-19 testing due to the reliability of the results. These tests are sent to partner reference labs for processing and results. It typically takes 24-72 hours to receive the results.

During your visit, a provider will evaluate you to determine if a rapid test or a send-out test is most appropriate based on your situation and test availability. If a rapid test is determined to be appropriate the provider will further advise as to which type of test is recommended should more than one type be available.

COVID-19 test results

Rapid tests can take between 5 and 13 minutes and you can get results before you leave. If you do not have the rapid test and your sample is processed through one of the outside lab companies below, we anticipate your COVID-19 test results will be available within 1 - 3 days. During times of surges, lab turnaround time may exceed this timeframe based on demand.

We will contact you when your results are available. After your screening, you should self-isolate at home and follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s instructions.

If your visit is not covered by insurance, we will typically charge between $135-$200 for the medical evaluation and $100 for the test. The price of the service will depend on the state where your center is located, the provider evaluation and reason for visit.