New Genesis Testing Equipment Could Accelerate Results

SILVIS, Ill. – April 16, 2020 – Test results for COVID-19 will soon be available in two hours or less for Quad-Cities patients.

The laboratory at Genesis Medical Center-Silvis now has the DiaSorin MDX instrument specifically designed for testing COVID-19 samples. Laboratory staff at GMC-Silvis will validate and train on the instrument for two weeks before testing the first samples.

The instrument will allow the simultaneous testing of eight samples with results available in about 90 minutes. Nearly 100 samples can be tested per day.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, Genesis Health System has been submitting samples for testing to both state and private laboratories. There has been a wide range of waits for results. Some results are available in 2-3 days while other results have taken 10 days or longer to process.

Private labs have been able to increase capacity for testing and now can also turn around results in 2-3 days.

“This instrument will be a significant advancement locally in providing accurate results and a quicker return of results,’’ said Theresa Main, president of Genesis Medical Center-Silvis. “By knowing the results quickly, providers can also begin assessment and care plans of patients quickly.’’
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