All healthcare providers and systems should be able to provide their patients with timely access to SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing when indicated. See Health Officer Order: Access to Diagnostic Testing Through Healthcare Facilities for more information. Organizations that need assistance to identify a suitable laboratory provider are encouraged to view the resources in the laboratories section below.
California Testing Task Force Lab List The Testing Task Force is maintaining a list of labs that have met certain criteria for readiness and can receive samples for RT-PCR COVID testing.
LA County Guide to Laboratories Providing COVID-19 Testing Services Updated Reference Guide This document provides an overview of some of the labs offering testing services to LA County providers and residents.
All laboratories (regardless of their location) that test Los Angeles County residents must register with CDPH.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently added COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 to the list of infectious diseases and circumstances relevant to notification of Emergency Response Employees (Implementation of Section 2695 (42 U.S.C. 300ff-131) Public Law 111-87: Infectious Diseases and Circumstances Relevant to Notification Requirements). Please note that under Section 2695, if an emergency response employee (ERE) has been exposed, the medical facility must provide the name of the infectious disease and the date on which the victim of the emergency was transported by the ERE to the facility. This does not violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA).
Emergency response employees (ERE) are defined as: firefighters, law enforcement officers, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, funeral service practitioners and other individuals (including employees of legally organized and recognized volunteer organizations, without regard to whether such employees receive nominal compensation) who, in the course of professional duties, respond to emergencies in the geographic area involved.
The full guidance document can be found here.
In addition, health facilities are reminded that if a patient with COVID-19 dies, they must notify the funeral director PRIOR to the release of the deceased.
California Code, Health and Safety Code - HSC § 1797.188
(h) In the event of the demise of the person afflicted with the reportable communicable disease or condition, the health facility or county health officer shall notify the funeral director, charged with removing the decedent from the health facility, of the reportable communicable disease or condition prior to the release of the decedent from the health facility to the funeral director.
https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/health-and-safety-code/hsc-sect-1797-188.html