HIMSS Davies Award Case Study on COVID Testing

This case study details the implementation of COVID-19 testing protocols at St. Luke’s University Health Network during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The document outlines the challenges faced due to the lack of in-house testing capabilities and the reliance on external laboratories, which resulted in significant delays and increased costs. It describes the decision to install the ThermoFisher Quantstudio 7 for high-throughput testing, which allowed for the processing of up to 2,000 samples in an 8-hour period. The study highlights the financial implications, noting that the cost of tests sent to Labcorp was significantly higher than in-house testing. The report also discusses the operational challenges, including supply chain issues and the need for rapid implementation, which required collaboration among various departments within the network. The successful completion of this project is attributed to effective teamwork and strategic planning, ultimately leading to reduced turnaround times and substantial cost savings for the health network.