SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — A backlog in COVID-19 tests forced patients to wait several days for results and caused concern for the health department.
More than 10,000 people have now been tested for COVID-19 in Shelby County, creating a heavy workload for those processing the tests.
Health Department Director Dr. Alisa Haushalter said the backlog causes challenges and concerns for many people.
“Our community and healthcare providers don’t have the information to treat these individuals,” Haushalter said. “It also means patients who are negative could be in isolation longer than necessary.”
Many people tested have expressed concerns about the time it takes to get results back, and some told WREG it’s taking days.
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare said they have about 800 tests pending right now.
In an email, Baptist Hospital said many hospitals in Memphis and throughout Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas “are all using the same lab (AEL) to process COVID-19 tests” and explained AEL had a minor issue with a machine, but that issue was resolved in two days.
They said it’s now “ramping back up to our typical testing levels.” AEL didn’t have a comment.
Other private labs said they’re trying to manage the rapid influx of COVID-19 tests.
One national lab, Quest Diagnostics, said in a statement it had about 160,000 tests in its backlog at the end of March, but as of this week, it cut that backlog in half.
It reported average test turnaround in one to three days.
Another national lab, Lab Corp, told CBS News it was able to clear its backlog Sunday and in an email said it’s delivering results in two to four days.
Several labs also noted they are prioritizing the tests for patients who are hospitalized.
But as testing expands and more and more specimen is submitted, concerns remain if the demand outpaces the capacity.
There was also no designated funding for labs to support expanded COVID-19 testing in any of the federal coronavirus stimulus packages.
Haushalter said right now, one thing remains certain.
“If someone has been tested, they need to remain in isolation until those results come back,” she said. “That prevents spread in our community.”
WREG reached out to the Tennessee Department of Health for a comment but have yet to hear back.
