Notice: The last day for COVID drive up testing will be
March, 31st, 2023 until further notice

Welcome to the COVID Collaborative for Children. Our goal is to provide testing for COVID-19 to the children in San Diego County and their families. Testing priority is given to symptomatic people or those who may have been exposed to COVID-19. These individuals have a more rapid turnaround time. If you or your child is symptomatic, please notify your physician.  If symptoms worsen, please seek emergency care.

1. Why the Collaborative Is Needed

Widespread, continuous testing for COVID-19 is crucial to understanding how to protect the children of San Diego County from the virus and being proactive in identifying an outbreak or surge early. This will not only help the community in getting though the pandemic but will assist in the efforts to open businesses and schools.

2. How to Get Tested

Appointments are required for testing. If you have an existing Rady Children’s MyChart account, please login to your account at www.rchsd.org/mychart to schedule an appointment. See patient instruction sheet for assistance. If you are not a Rady Children’s patient, or do not have a Rady Children’s MyChart account, you can schedule an appointment for Testing at http://scheduling.rchsd.org/covid-testing.

You may receive an email to sign up for MyChart (check your junk mail!). Please follow the prompts to complete. MyChart will allow you to access your results as soon as they become available. Positive results will be called to the phone number you provide at registration. Please see more information on resulting under “How to Get Results”.

Rady Employee and Physician families are eligible to be tested following the same processes as above.

3. Where the Specimen Is Collected

Swabbing Testing Clinic (By Appointment)
8001 Frost Street Parking Lot
San Diego, CA 92123 (Map it)

Hours:

• Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Saturday & Sunday, 7 a.m.-11 a.m.

Enter parking lot, take ticket and follow signs to the testing drive-through area. Parking is $4 if over 30 minutes.

Patient instructions: Please ensure that only patient(s) being tested and accompanying parent/guardian are present in the vehicle. Masks will be required at all times at the drive-through for anyone age 2 years and older. If you or any close contacts are symptomatic with fever, moderate/severe illness or suspected/confirmed COVID-19, please inform the nurse at drive-up.

4. How the Collection Is Performed

This test is performed using a small swab in both sides of the nose, which is a quick and painless procedure.

5. Insurance and Billing

By providing a copy of your insurance card, you are authorizing Rady Children’s Hospital to bill your insurance for this test. If your insurance does not pay and you are part of the COVID Collaborative for Children (Rady Children’s patients and family member, Rady Children’s employee and family members, community high-risk children), you will not receive a bill for the testing.

6. How to Get Results

Results are available within 48-72 hours after your sample has been collected. If you have a MyChart account, your results will be available to you immediately. If you do not have MyChart and you are positive, you will receive a phone call with your result. You will not receive a phone call for negative test results. If you do not have MyChart and you have not received a call within 72 hours, your test is negative.

Your results may be shared with state and local agencies for contact tracing and statistical reporting purposes.

7. MyChart Access

• If you are a Rady Children’s patient and DO NOT have an existing MyChart account, please contact your physician’s office to activate your account.
• If you are a non-Rady Children’s patient and are over 18 years of age, you will receive a link to sign up for MyChart. If you do not receive a link for MyChart within 48-72 hours after your appointment is scheduled, please call the COVID Nurse Advice Line at 858-966-8399 for assistance in setting up your MyChart account.
• If you are seeking results on a child who is NOT an existing Rady Children’s patient and you do not have a MyChart account, please call the COVID Nurse Advice Line at 858-966-8399.

8. Community Physician Referral Process

• To avoid long wait times, please encourage your patient to schedule an appointment in MyChart and get tested at the 8001 Frost Street drive-up location. (See instructions in the above “How to Get Tested” section.) All patients and family members must have a scheduled appointment for testing. Results will be available in MyChart for self-scheduled appointments.
• Alternately, you can send your patients to the MOB Lab. Please note that appointments are limited, and non-scheduled appointments are subject to a longer wait period.

• • MOB Lab Appointment Scheduling: 858-966-6776.
  • If you would like your patients’ COVID-19 results sent to you, please fax an order:

• You must write an order for COVID-19 testing.
• Please fax a copy of your order to 858-966-6707.
• The order must include information on where to send the results. 

For more information on the collaborative, email covidcollaborative@rchsd.org or call 858-966-6776.