CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A glitch causing delays in the distribution of COVID-19 test results for some StarMed patients has been resolved, StarMed CEO Mike Estramonte confirmed to WCNC Charlotte's Hunter Sáenz Thursday.
Sáenz reached out to the head of the popular coronavirus testing clinics to seek solutions for WCNC Charlotte viewers who said they were experiencing extensive delays in receiving COVID-19 test results.
"I have been looking every morning," Jane Budo told Sáenz Thursday. She got tested Thursday, Dec. 30., and as of Jan. 6 had not received a result.
"I needed to know to be around family members or travel for work," she said.
In a Twitter thread Thursday evening, and then again during a live stream on social media, Sáenz heard from additional people who were also still awaiting results.
The glitch was specifically in the reporting system StarMed uses to communicate COVID-19 test results, Estramonte explained to Sáenz.
How the glitch happened
StarMed uses two labs for testing: a StarMed lab and an overflow lab. With the surging demand StarMed has seen in recent weeks due to the omicron variant, it has been using the overflow lab to help handle the volume.
According to Estramonte, once the COVID-19 sample is tested in the lab, results go to another software within the reporting system in order to send notifications back to people. The glitch was in between the testing and the notification software, so results weren't making it to the reporting stage.
Estramonte said this only happened in the overflow lab and not in the StarMed lab, where test results were still being delivered promptly to patients.
"It's gut-wrenching because we want everybody to get their results as quickly as possible," Estramonte said.
Estramonte stressed this was a glitch and not a hack. He said no personal health or other information was compromised.
StarMed said the glitch happened around Jan. 3 or Jan. 4 and impacted around 8,000 COVID-19 tests before and after that date. The problem was noticed on Jan. 6 after several people reached out to StarMed asking about the delays.
"I'll take full responsibility -- it was something I wish we had caught at least a day sooner," Estramonte said.
More confusion Friday
After the glitch was resolved, the computer system still needed to process the backlog of communications. StarMed said Friday that would take about the same amount of time it takes to turn around any other test result: 48-72 hours.
Around 2 p.m. Friday, StarMed shared the link to a webpage where patients could obtain their test results.
After the link was posted, Sáenz again received messages from viewers, who this time were unable to access the new webpage.
WCNC Charlotte Reporter Chloe Leshner, who was in a news conference with Estramonte and Mecklenburg County officials, quickly relayed a solution: that the website was being repaired "as we speak."
Estramonte said at a news conference Friday afternoon that it was "all hands on deck" to get the link working so people can access their test results.
Estramonte told Hunter Sáenz Thursday he understands the need for urgency when it comes to COVID-19 test results. Measures have been put in place so if a similar glitch happens in the future, StarMed will be notified about it and could put an end to it.
Contact Hunter Sáenz at hsaenz@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.