COVID-19 test wait times: Coachella Valley testing sites compared

As demand for COVID-19 testing has grown, results in the Coachella Valley are taking up to 10 business days, a Desert Sun survey of local test sites shows. 

The long wait times are leading to increased anxiety among those being tested, and additional risks for the public. 

Patients are expected to isolate away from others while they wait for test results, but isolating for long periods is challenging — particularly if you're not showing any symptoms. If patients do end up testing positive, and they have not isolated during that wait time, though, they could have spread the virus to other people.

Borrego Health Coachella Valley director of operations Irma Garcia said the slow turnaround times are due to high demand and vendors' limited ability to process lab results.

Testing volume doubled between the end of May to the end of June in the Coachella Valley, with 8,225 new tests conducted the week of June 29  to July 5, according to Riverside County health department data. 

However, that number dropped down to a quarter of that last week, with just 2,596 new tests conducted between July 27 and Aug. 2, according to a report from the county. But last week's numbers could be under-reported as the state has experienced a glitch in its data collection method over the past two weeks.

"The waiting period may create anxiety for the patients waiting for results, and we would want to avoid that as much as possible," Garcia said.

To relieve that stress, health care providers start treating symptoms immediately and advise patients to isolate from others.

The Desert Sun surveyed local testing clinics and gathered feedback from community members to understand test result wait times at sites throughout the Coachella Valley. Here is what we found, as of Aug. 5:  

Henry V Lozano Community Center - Desert Hot Springs

• Available appointments: Same day appointments available, walk-ins accepted
• Turn around time for test results: 7 days, according to Riverside County health officials.
• Address: 12800 West Arroyo Dr., Desert Hot Springs
• Phone number: (888) 634-1123
• Website: https://www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus/testing 

Cathedral City

• Available appointments: Appointments available two days out
• Turn around time for test results: 7 days, according to Riverside County health officials. However, Desert Sun reporters have received results within three days.
• Address: 33520 Date Palm Dr., Cathedral City
• Phone number: (800) 945-6171
• Website: https://www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus/testing

Indio Fairgrounds

• Available appointments: Appointments available two days out
• Turn around time for test results: 7 days, according to Riverside County health officials. However, Desert Sun reporters have waited up to 11 days for results.
• Address: 46350 Arabia St., Indio (drive-thru)
• Phone number: (800) 945-6171
• Website: https://www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus/testing

Bagdouma Park Community Center — Coachella

• Available appointments:  Same day appointments available, walk-ins accepted
• Turn around time for test results: 7 days, according to Riverside County health officials, However, Desert Sun reporters have received results in less than two days.
• Address: 51251 Douma St., Coachella
• Phone number: (888) 634-1123
• Website: https://www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus/testing

CVS — various locations

• Available appointments: Very limited same-day appointments available, can book up to three days in advance online
• Turn around time for test results: 6-10 days
• Addresses
  • 425 S. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs
  • 68010 Vista Chino, Cathedral City
  • 42520 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage
  • 44075 Jefferson St., La Quinta
  • 49980 Jefferson St., Indio
  • 42150 Jackson St., Indio
  • 82270 Highway 111, Indio
• Website: https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-scheduler

Desert AIDS Project

• Available appointments: Same day to three days out
• Turn around time for test results: Currently taking 2-3 days to get results, but has taken up to 10 days, said DAP spokesperson Jack Bunting.
• Address: 1695 N. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs
• Phone number: (760) 992-0407
• Website: https://www.desertaidsproject.org

Borrego Health — various locations

• Available appointments: Same day to three days out
• Turn around time for test results: 7-10 business days, according to Borrego Health Coachella Valley director of nursing Gabriela Sanchez.
• Address:
  • Centro Medico Cathedral City, 69175 Ramon Road, Cathedral City
  • Centro Medico Coachella, 55497 Van Buren St., Thermal
  • Centro Medico Oasis, 88775 Avenue 76, Thermal
  • Desert Hot Springs Community Health Center, 66675 Pierson Blvd., Desert Hot Springs
  • Desert Hot Springs Health and Wellness Center, 11750 Cholla Dr., Desert Hot Springs
  • Borrego Health Specialty Care Center, 12520 Palm Dr., Desert Hot Springs
  • Desert Oasis Women's Health Center, 1180 N. Indian Canyon Dr., Palm Springs
  • Stonewall Medical Center, 68555 Ramon Rd., Cathedral City
• Phone number: (855) 436-1234
• Website: https://www.borregohealth.org/covid-19-testing

Desert Oasis Healthcare*

• Available appointments: Appointments only available for members
• Turn around time for test results: 3 days
• Address: 275 N. El Cielo, Palm Springs and 81880 Dr. Carreon Blvd., Indio
• Phone number:  (760) 969-6555
• Website: https://www.mydohc.com/patient-resources/covid-19/

Medpost Urgent Care — Desert Care Network

• Available appointments: Walk-in appointments available
• Turn around time for test results:  Desert Care Network spokesman Todd Burke said the network did not have an average number of days for test results to report. Vicki Zeigler, 75, of Palm Desert, said it took 14 days for her and her husband to receive their test results after getting tested at the Palm Desert Medpost location.
• Address:
  • 44419 Town Center Way, Palm Desert
  • 78965 Highway 111, La Quinta
  • 82151 Avenue 42, Indio
• Phone number: 
  • Palm Desert: (760) 237-0858
  • La Quinta: (760) 565-0359
  • Indio: (442) 204-0706
• Website: https://www.carespot.com/locations/california/palm-springs/

Rite-Aid — various locations

• Available appointments: Same day appointments available.
• Turn around time for test results: Expected to take longer than 2-7 days.
• Address:
  • 12900 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs
  • 51101 Cesar Chavez St., Coachella
  • 47985 Monroe St., Indio
• Website: https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/services/covid-19-testing or https://www.projectbaseline.com/

CORRECTION: The story has been updated to correct appointment information and test result times at Desert Oasis Healthcare.

Desert Sun reporter Nicole Hayden covers health in the Coachella Valley. She can be reached at Nicole.Hayden@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4623. Follow her on Twitter @Nicole_A_Hayden.