Michigan has started reporting COVID-19 test turnaround times in labs across the state.
What to know about the data:
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COVID-19 Testing Turnaround Time (TAT) provides data for the past 14 days on the average time it takes for a diagnostic COVID-19 laboratory test to be reported to the state health department. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services receives results from commercial labs, hospitals, and public health labs. However, public health laboratories perform limited diagnostic testing and disease surveillance for infectious diseases. Total turnaround time is calculated from the difference of the date of the collection of a sample for diagnostic testing (sample collection date) and the date that the laboratory results are received by the state of Michigan (message reporting date) for individuals living in Michigan. The total turnaround time value is calculated by subtracting the date and time of the specimen collection from the time of reported results and is provided in days. Transport time is calculated by subtracting the date and time of specimen collection from the date and time that the laboratory received the specimen for analysis and is also provided in days. One tenth of day is approximately equal to 2.5 hours.
* Cells filled with -- could not be calculated because one or both of the values needed to calculate the turnaround time were not valid or not reported.
* Turnaround time metrics have been calculated based on specimen collection dates and the date test results have been received by MDHHS.
*Test results may be available to patients and/or providers sooner than the date they are received at MDHHS.
* Factors that may impact turnaround times:
* Method of reporting by labs (i.e., electronic reporting versus manual data files)
* Reporting specifications used by labs (i.e., standard versus non-standard reporting templates)
* MDHHS capacity processing time during extreme volume report days; this can result in some lag between submission and receipt.