StarMed Addresses Delays In COVID-19 Testing Results

CHARLOTTE, NC — StarMed has largely been responsible for the bulk of rapid testing for COVID-19 in the Charlotte area, but also offers PCR tests, which have to be sent to a lab to get results. Recently, they encountered a serious delay recently in getting PCR test results back in a timely manner.

Michael Estramonte, CEO of StarMed Healthcare, penned an open letter to try and explain what happened to cause the delay in getting test results back.

"Due to this unprecedented volume, with a goal of meeting demand and staying ahead of the surge, our company contracted with an outside resource lab, Premier Medical of Greenville, South Carolina, to process additional COVID-19 PCR tests collected at our various testing sites across the state," Estramonte wrote.

"However, Premier Medical experienced an increase in testing needs from all its service locations, including the S.C. Department of Health and fell behind in providing test results due to multiple unforeseen circumstances. Unfortunately, this delay was not immediately communicated to StarMed."

The tests are supposed to have a 72-hour turnaround time, but that did not happen.

When those test results were not delivered in that time, StarMed reports it got more than 2,000 phone calls during the day from people wondering where their results were.

"StarMed is upgrading our system and hiring additional staff to handle the increased call center demand due to these delays," Estramonte noted.

For more information on rapid testing or PCR testing at StarMed, visit their website.