1health Helps Labs Meet Testing Demands Spurred by OSHA Vaccine Mandate

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Nov 16, 2021, 15:46 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 1health, a leading cloud platform for modern diagnostic test ordering and result management, is partnering with labs to help them provide the solutions employers need to meet the new COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandate.

The Biden administrations' COVID-19 Action Plan¹ will be in full effect as of January 4. Employers will need to ensure all workers at private-sector businesses are either vaccinated against the virus or able to provide a negative COVID-19 test each week.

The mandate will apply to private-sector businesses with 100 or more workers, which is estimated to cover an estimated 84 million employees, about two-thirds of the private sector workforce.

Many employers have expressed concern on how the mandate may exacerbate workforce shortages. To help ensure employees remain compliant and eligible to work, many are planning weekly testing programs to better accommodate their team members with exemptions. However, this isn't an easy task. Demand for antigen tests, which can be done onsite given that an administrator watches the procedure and records the result, has skyrocketed, creating significant shortages. Further, the cost of these tests can add up, leading many to search for more economical solutions.

This is where clinical laboratories can step in. Labs across the country made quick adaptations to meet unprecedented needs throughout the pandemic. The vaccine mandate is their opportunity to transition these hard earned capabilities to aid America's workforce. Compared to onsite antigen testing they offer a significantly more secure supply of tests. For companies with workers spread throughout different territories, they also offer compliant off-site or at home alternatives to onsite testing. Some labs even offer pooled testing, a more economical testing option where multiple employees' tests are run together allowing for testing to be done at a fraction of the normal cost.

"The challenge lies in connecting employers to local laboratories,'' explains Paul Sanders, Head of the Lab Business unit at 1health. "That's where 1health steps in. Through our Safe and Clear platform, we offer employers a way to connect with and order COVID-19 testing from our network of CLIA approved laboratories and EUA cleared kit providers."

Safe and Clear, an end-to-end solution designed to help employers meet the new vaccine and testing mandate, enables employers to order and view test results directly from their administrative dashboard.

"From the beginning, our mission has been to build the connections that help labs become more efficient, effective, and accessible" said Nikhil Arun, VP of Product at 1health. "When labs pivoted to meet the needs of the pandemic, we pivoted with them. Our team has dedicated over half a million hours working with labs and employers to develop both the testing and vaccine tracking solutions they needed to keep their populations safe. Safe & Clear is a culmination of these efforts: a truly plug-and-play solution that harnesses our clinical testing network and software solutions to help employers reach compliance."

At 1health, we're committed to making diagnostic testing easy and accessible by building the infrastructure that helps labs- and their customers- connect patients to testing and care. Our powerful platform provides end-to-end solutions to help labs streamline their processes, expand their capabilities, and enhance their accessibility while our flexible APIs enable lab customers to drive better patient engagement and compliance through uniquely accessible and impactful solutions.

For media inquiries about 1health or the Safe and Clear COVID-19 Solution (https://1health.io/products/COVID19-mandate), please reach out to Lindsay Hilbelink at [email protected] or 414-378-2937

¹Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Announces Details of Two Major Vaccination Policies | The White House

SOURCE 1health