COVID-19 Testing
You may need to be tested for COVID-19 for different reasons. These include having been confirmed as a close contact of someone who is infected or having symptoms that may be a sign of COVID-19 infection.
If you’re a Vanderbilt patient and you think you may have COVID-19, call your primary care provider for help.
If you think your child may have COVID-19, call your family pediatrician or visit a Vanderbilt Children's After-Hours Clinic.
Vanderbilt does not give COVID-19 tests to persons without symptoms. If you have symptoms, we’ll examine you and order the tests our clinicians think you need. These may include other tests, like flu or strep.
It's important to test as soon as symptoms develop. We now have treatments to keep you from having serious illness, being hospitalized or dying. They work best given in the first few days of symptoms.
Call 911 if you or your child experience life-threatening symptoms
These include
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or lethargy
- Bluish lips or face
Pre-Procedure Testing
A small number of procedures and surgeries require a COVID-19 test before the surgery or procedure. These include:
- Bronchoscopy
- Methacholine challenge testing
- Dental procedures involving ultrasonic scalers or high-speed dental hand pieces, air/water syringes, air polishing and air abrasion
- Electroconvulsive therapy
Vanderbilt Health pre-procedure testing process
All tests must be done between 48 and 72 hours before the procedure.
If you’re not tested or if the result isn't ready on the day of your procedure, the procedure may be postponed until we can get a result.
You also may get your pre-procedure test at one of our Walk-In Clinics, Vanderbilt Health Clinics at Walgreens or Vanderbilt Children's After Hours Clinics during normal clinic hours. Find a location near you at MyHealthWalkIn.com.
How will I get my COVID19 test result?
Your test result will be available in My Health at Vanderbilt after it’s finalized by our lab. If you don’t yet have an MHAV account, go to the MHAV page and click “create a new account.”
What if I go to a non-Vanderbilt location for testing?
It is preferred that you get your test at a Vanderbilt location. If you must use a non-Vanderbilt location for testing, make sure you get a PCR test from the nose or mouth. We won't accept any other test results. This includes results from at-home, antigen, and blood tests.
If your results are negative, you'll need to bring your results when you come for your procedure. If your results are positive, please notify your provider.