Curative: Reflections on One Year of Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic
7 Minutes
Team Curative
Mar 18, 2021
Today marks one year since Curative began COVID-19 testing. When we first recognized the need for scaling and offering high volume testing to fight the pandemic in the United States, we could have never imagined how that mission would have evolved to what it has become today.
Our greatest strength has been our ability to scale and adapt to serve the needs of the communities. Our ability to innovate and overcome obstacles, helped us scale COVID-19 testing and build path breaking health care solutions. Through intentional design, we also made healthcare more equitable.
As we reflect on our milestones, we reaffirm our commitment to ending this pandemic as we work to build a healthier tomorrow, together.
Meeting People Where They Are: The Creation of Kiosks
One of our earliest innovations was born out of necessity. Many vulnerable populations live in high-density areas and cities often lack large spaces for drive-thru operations. We were challenged to develop a solution for convenient walkable access to testing. Our CEO, Fred Turner, asked: “What about kiosks?” The team turned to the whiteboards to envision what a kiosk for COVID testing would look like. How would we keep healthcare workers safe? How do we convey instructions? This led to a collaboration with design studio GEHL and the prototype for our mobile kiosks.
Early mockups of our kiosk in partnership with GEHL
Since launching, these kiosks have been deployed in 44 different sites across the United States, encouraging accessible and user-friendly testing. Here’s our kiosk being used in Seattle!
New version of our kiosks in use in Seattle, February 2021
Taking Testing on the Road: Deploying Mobile Vans
After witnessing our kiosks’ success, we wondered: are rural and hard-to-reach locations across the United States getting adequate resources to curb the pandemic? How do we reach populations that would otherwise not get tested? According to Pew Trust, an estimated 2 million people 65 and older are mostly or entirely homebound, and another 5 million have health conditions that make it hard to get out. Aligned with our commitment to health equity, we knew we had to find a solution.
Brainstorms around our mobile testing options and early van design
Inspired by blood drives and connected to a camper van fabricator in Los Angeles, the team got to work. We outlined our priorities and walked through our ideal end-to-end user experience. Our final product has successfully allowed us to bring testing to over 3,000 sites, prioritizing remote and underserved regions.
Our first van to our latest — an evolving brand for an evolving company
Hope Arises: Vaccine Distribution
In 2020, our work was defined by rapid learning, late nights, and sheer determination. Witnessing the impact this pandemic has had on our physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing, we’ve maintained that momentum as we work to bring this pandemic to a close. With the approval of three COVID-19 vaccines, that goal is in sight. We’ve utilized our local and national partnerships to build upon our testing infrastructure to begin mass vaccination efforts.
To date, we’ve launched over 300 vaccination sites and have administered over 550,000 vaccines nationwide.
Curative drive-thru patient gets vaccinated in California.
We have targeted our vaccine distribution to the populations most impacted by the pandemic, and through partnering with local leaders, we’re working to build vaccine confidence. In Los Angeles’ Crenshaw neighborhood, we’ve worked with the West Angeles Church to open a recurring vaccination site on Sundays. By partnering with institutions of trust in the community, like churches, we can help build confidence and preparedness in populations traditionally underserved by healthcare.
Curative’s recurring Sunday vaccination site at West Angeles Church in Crenshaw
In Marin County, we are working with county officials to bring vaccinations to Northern California’s West Marin, which is home to many Spanish-speaking agricultural workers who would otherwise have to drive long distances to receive services. Aware of the stark digital divide between West and East Marin, county officials looked to Curative to provide the services to bridge that gap. We have set up vaccine sites with local clinics, non-profits, and community organizations, and have built relationships that make Curative a trusted member of the communities we serve.
Our Marin County van quickly pivoted to drive-thru services to combat high winds in the region, but normally will serve walk-up sites across the county
New Solutions for Old Problems: Creating Software
To serve our patients, we need to collect, store, and report data while ensuring privacy and accuracy. No software existed that met our needs for scaling — so we created our own. Our software team developed a comprehensive suite to address these concerns in one weekend, and we continued to add features as needs arose.
We think that testing sites and vaccine distributors should be equipped with the most convenient tools possible, so we offered our software as a solution for free to partners. The software allows partners to create a list of sites, including names, locations, and services provided at each location. Sites can manage users, giving permissions to each location, as necessary. Most importantly, we have focused on the user experience of setting appointments. We realize that for many of the most impacted populations, technology access presents a barrier. We have created a user-friendly website experience where patients can book an appointment, add their information, complete screening questions, and provide insurance information if applicable.
Frontline workers use Curative’s software to record and report patient dataOn the back end, our software allows providers to record tests, vaccinations, and rejections, send patients receipts, and report data to public registries. This is especially important as we help provide testing data to guide decision-making nation-wide and transparency around vaccination efforts to work toward our goal of achieving herd immunity. Providers can upload patient records in bulk, which allows for ease when working with nursing homes, schools, and any partner with a well-defined patient population. Lastly, our software allows us access to a real-time dashboard to monitor data and provide critical insights for the public’s understanding of the pandemic while remaining HIPAA compliant.
The Future of Curative
As we look to a post-pandemic world, we are redefining essential healthcare services and the diagnostic world. With the support of scientists, public health officials, and engineers, we have designed an infrastructure ready to withstand rapid change. We will continue to provide affordable and science-based services while expanding to reach more communities in need. As we evolve, we are doubling down on our commitment to building a healthier tomorrow, together.
Curative employees poised to drive the future of healthcare
Curative Inc. and its subsidiary, Curative Management Services LLC, engage with medical entities that provide vaccination services.
