A strep test at urgent care identifies Group A Streptococcus bacteria, the cause of strep throat. Since this is a bacterial infection, a timely diagnosis is necessary to begin antibiotic treatment and prevent serious complications such as rheumatic fever. Urgent care clinics offer rapid assessment, allowing patients with acute symptoms to receive a diagnosis and treatment plan quickly. The total time spent in the facility depends on factors like patient volume and the specific testing method used.
The Initial Urgent Care Visit Timeline
The initial portion of your urgent care visit involves administrative and clinical intake processes that occur before the strep test. Upon arrival, you complete the check-in and registration process, providing insurance information and details about your current symptoms. The time for this step is highly variable, directly impacted by the number of other patients waiting for care.
Following registration, a medical assistant or nurse conducts a brief triage, checking vital signs like temperature and blood pressure. This includes a focused symptom history where you describe your sore throat, fever, and other symptoms. The medical consultation then proceeds with a physical examination, where a healthcare provider examines your throat, tonsils, and neck lymph nodes.
Once the provider determines a strep test is appropriate, the sample collection takes place quickly. A sterile swab is gently brushed across the back of the throat and tonsils to collect secretions for analysis. The actual swabbing takes only a few seconds, marking the beginning of the diagnostic waiting period.
Rapid Versus Culture Test Results: The Waiting Game
The speed of the diagnosis hinges on the type of test performed on the throat swab sample. Urgent care centers primarily rely on the Rapid Strep Test (RST), also known as a Rapid Antigen Detection Test, which checks for Group A Streptococcus antigens. These tests are valued for their speed, typically delivering a result between five and fifteen minutes.
If the RST is positive, a diagnosis is confirmed immediately, and treatment begins during that visit. However, the RST is not perfectly sensitive and can sometimes produce a false-negative result, especially if the bacterial load is low. If the rapid test is negative but symptoms strongly suggest strep throat, the provider will order a backup test called a throat culture.
The throat culture requires the collected sample to be sent to a laboratory, where it is placed in a special medium to encourage the growth of any bacteria. This method is more accurate than the rapid test but requires a significantly longer turnaround time. Results for a culture typically take between 24 and 48 hours to be finalized.
Total Time Estimates and Discharge
The total time spent at the urgent care facility depends on the diagnostic scenario. For a patient with a positive Rapid Strep Test, the total visit time, from check-in to discharge, is generally between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours. This estimate is influenced by the initial administrative steps, the waiting time to see the provider, and the fifteen minutes required for the rapid test result.
If the Rapid Strep Test is negative, the initial time spent in the clinic remains about the same, but the final diagnosis and treatment are delayed. The provider will send the sample for a culture, and you will be discharged with instructions to wait for a call-back. The final diagnosis and the initiation of a prescription for antibiotics will occur once the 24 to 48-hour culture result is available.
The final stage is the discharge process, which includes receiving your diagnosis and treatment plan. If the test is positive, the provider prescribes an appropriate antibiotic, such as penicillin or amoxicillin, and advises you to start the medication immediately. You will also receive guidance on symptom management and when you can safely return to work or school, typically 24 hours after beginning the antibiotic course.