The Founder and CEO of MAKO Medical, Chad Price, immediately recognized that he had a duty to his state when the pandemic hit. His company had vast resources at its disposal, including testing labs, a skilled staff, and plenty of commitment to the public.
Since the start of the pandemic, North Carolina has suffered from more than 5,000 deaths. And while there’s been some fluctuation in case counts, the virus continues to remain an ever-present threat — especially as we near the start of flu season.
COVID-19 has impacted all of us, and the collective force has been devastating for many. MAKO Medical is doing its part to keep the public informed, regardless of whether they have the virus or not. From testing to technology, we’ll look at the many ways in which MAKO Medical is doing its part.
A Swift Shift
In the first few months of the pandemic, MAKO Medical was able to accomplish the following:
- Largely switched from traditional testing to COVID testing.
- Enrolled in an independent testing program to certify its results were accurate.
- Scored 100% on CAP COVID Proficiency Testing.
- Donated 20,000 COVID testing kits to the North Carolina Medical Society.
- Offered 2 kinds of COVID antibody testing to businesses that were getting ready to reopen.
- Partnered with Luminate Health to create a portal where patients could get real-time results.
Since the pandemic began, the company has processed millions of tests. At every step of the way, the company prioritized both accuracy and timely results. Staff used the testing program to assess their processes so there was no chance of compromised samples.
The COVflu-19 Test
COVID-19 and the flu may be different, but there are some definite overlaps when it comes to their symptoms. With winter quickly approaching, it was likely that patients would want to undergo multiple tests to determine the cause behind their illness.
Chad Price MAKO Medical took this into account when he decided to develop a COVID test for his company. Instead of just testing for corona, the test also tests for Influenza and Influenza B, two common strains of flu. This test can accurately detect the RNA samples provided with a single swab, giving patients more from a single procedure and freeing up the time of busy healthcare professionals. This test took several months to design, and it’s expected to play a big role in easing patients’ fears as they adjust to a new season.
98% of testing at MAKO Medical is completed at its Henderson facility. With a staff of more than 800, the company aims to provide results within 24 – 48 hours. This kind of urgency is more than a selling point when it comes to the company’s services, it’s a necessity for patients who don’t have time to wait. So far, MAKO Medical has served numerous organizations, including government agencies and schools. These important institutions rely on MAKO to give them the data they need to function even during perilous times.
Simplifying Technology
One of the biggest changes we’ve seen as a country is to watch more and more communication switch from in-person to over a screen. Yet at the start of COVID, many doctors were confronted with the difficult task of changing processes to keep up with customer demand. Without the right technology and computer skills, telemedicine proved elusive to practices of every kind.
This was especially unfortunate because it wasn’t unusual to see patient volume decrease by up to 70%. Those afraid of catching the virus understandably stayed home to reduce their risk. But while they might have been solving an immediate problem, patients put themselves at risk for long-term health issues. Routine exams have the benefit of helping doctors catch anomalies early.
This was why MAKO Medical set out to offer simple platforms to providers — ones that were easy-to-use, free, and HIPAA compliant. Patients could access telemedicine services and communicate with providers over a secure mobile messaging platform. This proved to be a convenient way for doctors to pivot their practice in a short timeframe. It also proved helpful for patients who were facing non-emergency medical questions.
A New Ordering System
MAKO Medical partnered with Medline, a trusted healthcare supplier, in an effort to streamline ordering and ensure timely test results. Customers could now order MAKO tests online and have them shipped from a Medline facility. This turned out to be a smart answer to a supply chain problem, allowing customers to get tests faster so they could collect samples and have them processed.
MAKO Medical is up against a lot when it comes to disrupting the healthcare industry. Not only are doctors loathe to change their habits (even in the face of stunning technological advances), but its staff is also working with legacy computer systems that drag healthcare down and raise prices for everyone.
Cloud computing is changing this in places across the country, but not at a rate that could be considered transformative. MAKO Medical is introducing new services whenever and wherever it can, allowing practitioners to see the benefits and take advantage of new ways to serve patients. This forward-thinking philosophy is how MAKO was quickly able to develop a diagnostic test that could allay fears of both the flu and the coronavirus.
About Chad Price & MAKO Medical
MAKO Medical builds the kind of innovative technology that leads us all to rethink how we view problems. It provides critical testing services that give patients and doctors more time to both react and plan ahead. Chad Price is the CEO of MAKO Medical and a true visionary in the industry. When the country continues to spend more on healthcare for worse outcomes, he wants to give everyone the services, information, and tools they need to buck the trends.
MAKO Medical is notorious for hiring veterans and reservists. It’s a chance for service members to flex the skills they learned on the job. When healthcare moves so quickly, MAKO Medical needed people who could keep up with the changes. It’s just one reason why the company was named as one of America’s Best Startup Employers for 2020 by Forbes.
