Yes. Testing is available 7 days a week, and you can set your own schedule. We offer regular testing at a reduced cost, and our screening program has multiple options:
- Weekly
- Twice a week
- Twice a month
Screening for Businesses & Organizations
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to supporting the Dallas-Fort Worth area as our community transitions through this pandemic. We offer a COVID-19 screening solution developed specifically for businesses, organizations, and schools. This screening is for individuals who do not exhibit signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Let us help empower you with the knowledge needed to implement and maintain effective strategies to promote healthy working and learning environments.
Read more about the symptoms of COVID-19. If you are currently experiencing signs or symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your primary care physician.
Click here to tell us more about your organization so we can best meet your needs.
About the Test
The Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test is a COVID-19 high-quality, clinical-grade test. This method utilizes molecular technology to amplify COVID-19 ribonucleic acid (RNA) to identify the presence of the virus.
Specimen collection is done through a self-administered anterior nasal swab (not a nasal pharyngeal swab).
Additionally, the RT-PCR is known for the following:
- The most accurate type of diagnostic test available (over 98% effective).
- Recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Able to identify individuals who are infected with COVID-19, even if they do not display symptoms of being sick.
Our screening program combines the collected samples together in a “batch” or pool. This approach increases the number of people who can be tested and is effective in populations where the infection rate is low (e.g., asymptomatic individuals) because doing so increases the capacity of testing and reduces time, cost, and manpower, allowing us to pass on the savings to our clients.
Processing Cost and Turnaround Time
UTSW has been able to reduce pricing to between approximately $25-$50 per test. Our lab provides results in 24 hours or less from the time a sample is received.
What We Provide
Self-swab educational materials
Training regarding how to label and store specimens
Courier services
Laboratory testing
Secure results delivery
“UT Southwestern has provided COVID-19 testing for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's musicians and staff since the summer. Their unparalleled medical knowledge and up-to-date information on the situation as well as their lab testing expertise has allowed the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to continue performing in this difficult time. It was due to their partnership that the DSO was one of the first U.S. orchestras to come back to the stage. We appreciate UTSW's service and professionalism that helped us keep the music going.”
Quick and Noninvasive
Our test utilizes the anterior nasal swab method. It is quick and noninvasive that employees are able to collect the specimen on their own while supervised in their designated work environment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Timing and Testing Frequency
Can we choose the frequency of testing for our organization?
Can we sign up for the minimum and then increase it later?
Yes, that is possible. However, increase in demand could impact turnaround time from your original memorandum of understanding (MOU). If available, we will accept additional tests and we would honor the same price, under the same agreement.
Will there be a standard business associate agreement (BAA) included in the MOU that covers HIPAA requirements?
We do not sign BAAs because we are not a covered entity. We address HIPAA assurance in the MOU. The MOU is the only agreement that we sign with the user.
Reporting
Are you set up for reporting to states?
All of our cases are reported to the health department. From there, cases get sent to other counties (county of residence for the participant) and the state health department as well as the CDC.
Can we integrate our system into yours?
We do not offer integrations at this time.
Will employee information be kept confidential?
Yes. The information shared with UTSW will be kept confidential and shared only with the organization’s designated point of contact.
Sample Collection
Can we send you swab samples from symptomatic individuals, or are you focused solely on asymptomatic testing?
For this particular screening program, we are taking only asymptomatic samples. If your employees feel they are symptomatic, please reach out to your primary care physician.
Should the primary contact for this program have a medical or clinical background?
Not necessarily. It should be whomever is managing the operations for the testing.
What are the PPE requirements for the collection site?
We recommend following up-to-date CDC guidelines.
Do collected swabs need to be refrigerated until the courier picks them up?
No. If you’re using our courier services, we provide a cooler. We need to process the samples within 72 hours of the time a sample is collected.
Will the specimen collection hurt?
The nasal swab method used to collect the specimen is less invasive. Employees will be provided with education and guidance on how to perform this self-collection. Our instructional video illustrates what the collection process will look like for the employee.
Return of Results
What will the turnaround time for results be?
Once the UT Southwestern courier picks up the specimen, it typically takes 24 hours from the time the sample arrives at our lab until we provide a result to the organization.
You have stated you have a 24-hour turnaround time, but can we prioritize it so the results come before a certain time (such as before an individual starts work or school)?
No. We cannot customize the turnaround time.
How do individuals get notified about results if we are only using the UTSW COVID-19 Screening Program?
Our platform releases results as soon as they are ready, 24/7. Whether positive or negative, the test results are sent automatically via email to participants from our designated platform with information on how to register and view the results.
Who will have access to employee screening results?
UT Southwestern will provide this information to whomever the employer designates as the point of contact. The results will be sent to both employee via an electronic interface and/or as requested by the employer.
Vaccine
With the vaccine rolling out, why would we need this screening?
It’s great news that we have vaccines rolling out. However, in order to stop the virus from spreading, a large percentage of our population needs to be immune to it. Immunity is achieved when a large proportion of the population either gets infected or gets a protective vaccine; it can be anywhere from 50% to 90% of our population, depending on the contagiousness of the virus. As we scale vaccine distribution, it is inevitable that there will continue to be pockets of the virus. Pool testing offers a cost-effective method to control future outbreaks and disruptions to organizations. As of Jan. 11, 2021, the CDC estimated roughly 9 million people had received the first dose of the vaccine, which is 2.7% of the U.S. population. As of that same date, Texas had 2.9% of its population vaccinated.
Costs
Will my employees be required to have health insurance?
This is a direct-pay service, and we do not bill health insurance.
How much will this service cost?
UT Southwestern charges a market-competitive rate for high-throughput COVID-19 screening. Each test costs between $25 and $50. Please complete the survey, and someone will contact you to discuss pricing. For additional information regarding pricing, please click here.
Location
Does my company have to be located in Dallas?
This service is available for businesses within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Please contact us if you have questions. If your company is located outside the Metroplex, please reach out to us, and we will help find a solution for your needs.
Additional Resources:
Guidance for Existing Clients (Coming Soon)