Two Texas-based health technology companies have teamed up to roll out a coronavirus test, and they’re trying to get it in the hands of the general public and the military.
AnyPlace MD, a mobile health provider, and Reliant Immune Diagnostics, a telehealth developer, collaborated earlier this year to bring the telemedicine app MDBox and coronavirus (COVID-19) testing to the public. The efforts are called “Project RAPID” (Remote Assessment Platform for Infection Detection).
The test itself uses lateral flow technology, which has been used for medical testing for more than 40 years. The companies have adapted that technology for coronavirus, pairing it with the artificial intelligence technology embedded in the MDBox app to determine eligibility for the test, read the test, and match patients with medical providers — all remotely.
So far, the FDA has not yet approved the testing. To prove their technology, the companies hosted a drive-thru testing clinic in Austin, Texas on Saturday.
Using the MDBox app, patients with concerning symptoms took an online assessment to determine if they were eligible for the testing. If they were deemed eligible, they were directed to the drive-thru testing site. There, they paid $65.95 for the test and received a diagnosis in just 15 minutes.
