At Work, Healthcare Starts with Testing

COVID-19 TESTING PROTOCOL

Healthcare Solutions Centers’ COVID-19 protocol complies with

CDC recommendations, taking them a step further by actually administering the PCR test at all

“recommended” points: • Employees testing positive or showing compatible symptoms of COVID-19 should remain home until 72 hours after all symptoms resolve without medication. • If employee has a fever, cough or shortness of breath — or other symptoms that do not meet COVID-19 criteria — try to get the employee PCR tested. • There are additional precautions if employee has traveled.And even if employee has NO symptoms of COVID-19, employee “meets” with an HCS clinician for a telehealth appointment to be cleared to return to work. [This is often on a Sunday, Ducar explains; employees traveling over a weekend will inform

HCS prior to travel and schedule the telehealth appointment in time for them to return to work on Monday.]

[Editor’s note: This is a very abbreviated version of the testing protocol. For full version, see this article on our website at inbusinessphx.com.]

Aiming to keep the workplace COVID-19-free by RaeAnne Marsh

Healthcare is arguably the most popular of employee benefits. COVID-19 has made this an even higher priority — while at the same time adding to businesses’ challenges in providing it. And addressing the need to keep the workplace and the workforce healthy has put COVID-19 testing front and center in business operations even while information changes on a nearly daily basis.

TESTING FOR COVID-19

Testing for COVID-19 remains a critical concern, even as our understanding of the virus increases. “There is no single ideal test for COVID-19,” says Jason Scalise, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and vice chairman at The CORE Institute, whose physicians and healthcare workers are on the front lines. “Diagnostic tests (e.g., the nasal swab) that detect the virus reveal only if the individual is currently harboring the virus. While antibody tests do not detect the presence of the virus itself, they can reveal if the individual has mounted an immune response to previous exposure.” It is that response which may impart a degree of protective immunity to the individual. Dr. Scalise emphasizes that it is still unclear to science what level of antibody response is truly protective — and that further research will be required. Regardless of the test results, however, social distancing and good hand hygiene should remain important for everyone.

Organizations looking to safely deploy their workforce may consider using a rapid antibody testing strategy to serially screen employees on an ongoing basis. As time goes on, knowledge of who may have acquired a layer of protection against COVID-19 will be very helpful, according to Dr. Scalise. Furthermore, this type of screening program can help filter who those with an antibody response who may be indicated for additional viral testing, and potentially isolate them from the workplace until diagnostic test results have returned.

Dr. Scalise points out this is a more practical yet still thorough approach for screening than frequent molecular tests whose results may not be available for 24 to 48 hours — and adds that this level of enhanced yet rapid screening can be an effective adjunct to other safety measures for businesses looking at instituting re-opening procedures.

COVID-19 TESTING AND WORKPLACE HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS

Businesses may rightfully be concerned also about liability and workers’ compensation. Programs like the COVID-19 Work Safety Program that Healthcare Solutions Centers offers may remove potential liability from human resources departments, which are often the ones directing employees regarding their medical issues. “This program directs all employees and family members (patients) who are feeling ill or have any symptoms of COVID-19 directly to HCS for a telehealth appointment,” explains Frances Ducar, founder and president of HCS. “HCS’s nurse practitioners are performing a telehealth appointment with these patients. Patients who have signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will be quarantined and directed to an HCS clinic for the nasopharyngeal swab to test for COVID-19. These patients will be placed under medical surveillance and treated by the nurse practitioner.”

HCS is working directly with Sonora Quest Laboratories for all the tests, and Ducar expresses appreciation at being able to administer the tests as needed. “We’re testing all the time,” she says. “We’re using a lot of swabs.”

Noting that the COVID-19 Work Safety Program follows CDC guidelines and was designed to assist HR so they would not need to handle medical issues, Ducar says, “Employees will only return to work when the nurse practitioner has cleared the employee to work and is safe.” She reports that the program was implemented on March 20th for all HCS’s clients and is working very well.

Following CDC-recommended protocols for testing, HCS administers the PCR NP swab to individuals who show symptoms of COVID-19 or who are known to have been