Alverno Laboratories begins COVID-19 testing at Illinois hospitals

An Indiana-based integrated laboratory network with services across northeastern Illinois has started to process hundreds of COVID-19 tests a day.

Alverno Laboratories, which manages the hospital laboratories for AMITA Health and Franciscan Health, said in a statement they are providing testing at those system’s hospitals. Along with testing, the lab is processing between 750 and 800 specimens a day.

“Not only are we testing, we have maintained our turnaround time goal of 12 to 24 hours,” Alverno CEO Sam Terese said in a statement. “To date, we can test all specimens received at our central laboratory and keep pace with demand.”

The lab is also assisting Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox to process tests.

Terese said that, due to the short supply of collection swabs, they would continue to look at alternative swabs and media to use for specimen collection.

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