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Monday, March 30, 2020
The Baseline COVID-19 Program releases guide for establishing community testing sites with input from California public health authorities
Streamlining COVID-19 screening, testing, and return of results is a significant challenge nationwide. The California community-based COVID-19 testing program with support from Verily’s Project Baseline has rapidly and responsibly rolled out four testing sites in two weeks, testing more than 3700 individuals to-date*. Our team has learned a lot in the early days of this program and has established best practices to inform development of additional testing sites. We are now sharing these learnings to support other organizations’ efforts, who may find the information useful, as they expand testing within their own communities.
The COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Program Guide
is designed to help government officials, public health departments, and local communities establish drive-through testing sites, and includes instructions for integrating with the Baseline COVID-19 Program.
The guide consists of lessons we believe may help communities that are under immense pressure to quickly establish testing. The COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Program Guide includes a framework for:
Launching sites within a one-week timeframe
Optimizing site operations for more efficient testing, while maintaining safety
Creating a more automated, integrated process that spans dynamic screening that can be adjusted based on the latest epidemiology, scheduling, testing, and delivery of results
The COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Program Guide is the result of collaboration between Verily’s Project Baseline team of engineers, scientists, clinical operations specialists, and more, and the California Department of Public of Health (CDPH), California Department of Health and Human Services (CDHHS), California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and county and city departments of public health. The guide also includes clinical and operational input from Stanford Medicine, based on its testing protocols and experience addressing COVID-19. We will continue to update the document as we iterate, learn, and launch additional sites.
To learn more about the Baseline COVID-19 Program, visit us at projectbaseline.com/covid19 and follow along with us on Twitter
@verilylifesci
.
*
Based on data collected as of 3/28/20
Friday, March 27, 2020
Go behind the scenes of the Baseline COVID-19 testing program
Expanding access to reliable screening and testing is critical to containing the spread of the COVID-19. At Project Baseline we are supporting the California community-based COVID-19 testing program in expanding to more locations, and we’ve created a
video to show how testing works.
Here are the steps involved in the program:
1. Take an online screener
The first step is to complete an online
screener
based on guidelines from public health officials. The screener helps prioritize testing needs based on direction from the California Department of Public Health.
2. Get an appointment
If individuals qualify for testing at this time through this program, they will receive a confirmation email with appointment details, including the time and location of the test.
3. Take the test
At testing sites there are three stations: an appointment check, an ID check, and sample collection.
In station one, individuals will be instructed to show their ID, keeping windows closed. This helps ensure that this step is done as safely as possible.
Once the appointment is confirmed, they will drive to station 2. Healthcare staff will match each individual a lab kit and attach a lab requisition to the car’s windshield. This document helps ensure tests are processed safely and correctly.
Then, individuals will drive to station 3, which is the sample collection area. Next, drivers will roll down their window and tilt their head back for a nasal swab. Site staff will then ship the samples to a lab for analysis.
4. The results
All results will be communicated, positive or negative, back to those who are tested. Individuals will receive the results about 2-5 days after testing, but this may take longer due to lab capacity. If you test positive, you’ll get a phone call from a qualified healthcare professional.
For more information on the Baseline COVID-19 Program and to learn if you are eligible for testing through this program, visit
projectbaseline.com/covid19
.
Monday, March 23, 2020
California opens two new community-based COVID-19 testing sites in collaboration with Verily’s Project Baseline and with federal support
The California community-based program to test high risk individuals for COVID-19, in collaboration with the
Baseline COVID-19 Program
, enters its second week of operations with two new testing sites, in Lake Elsinore City in Riverside County and in Sacramento County. With this expansion to the program — in partnership with federal, state, and local public health officials — we expect to be able to serve thousands more across four counties in California.
In the first week of operations, we scaled testing to 20X the capacity at launch, testing over 1,200 individuals at initial sites in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Now, we are adding a self-service scheduling capability for eligible individuals to the Baseline COVID-19 screening tool, further increasing efficiency across all testing sites.
Sample collection at a drive through California community-based testing site with support from Project Baseline.
We launched the program pilot with a limited number of appointments to allow us to quickly understand and adjust protocols and processes for safety and scalability. The program has involved medical centers and federal, state, and local public health officials to identify and to inform best practices for establishing local testing programs for broader population screening. We plan to share a consolidated report on our approach to support public health authorities in their efforts to quickly stand up testing initiatives.
The screening and testing criteria that inform the screener are directed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and are updated in accordance with public health guidance as the situation develops. The California community-based testing program began by testing higher risk individuals as determined by CDPH. Eligibility requirements will continue to be updated based on public health needs and testing capacity.
We have identified a number of lessons learned from our first site launches that will help us ramp up quickly at Sacramento and Riverside:
Testing site design and flow
An incident command system oversees testing site operations. Each testing site consists of a command center for quick decision-making, and “hot zones,” accessible to testing personnel in personal protective equipment (PPE) for sample collection.
Hot zones are accessible only to a streamlined set of healthcare workers to minimize risk and to help conserve personal protective equipment.
Testing site layouts are designed to align with social distancing measures, limiting areas where multiple individuals can congregate.
The focus is on establishing drive-through testing sites, as that framework should reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Sample collection has been adapted to work for multiple scenarios, including individual drivers seeking testing, drivers bringing loved ones for testing, and instances where both drivers and passengers are getting tested.
Foundational processes
Managing capacity at the testing sites is critical to balancing the need for efficiently testing the appropriate people and optimizing precious PPE resources while avoiding overcrowding — which can increase risk of contagion. We have a dedicated analytics team monitoring the time required to gather samples and other important testing site metrics to optimize scheduling, and these insights will be included in our report.
Our goal is to automate as much of the workflow possible. Often, placing orders for lab testing is a manual process. Direct integration between the Baseline platform’s software and test ordering systems helps get people tested more quickly.
Incorporating global best practices
Countries like South Korea are establishing sound procedures that we are working to integrate into our operations, such as temperature checks for on-site personnel as another safety measure in addition to social distancing and PPE.
As part of the California Community-Based Testing Program, we are privileged to work alongside numerous organizations who are contributing to increasing testing capacity in the state.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
and
Becton Dickinson
are rapidly producing critically needed testing kits.
PWNHealth
is the physician network that approves testing for individuals and provides post-test telehealth consults, and the nurses and healthcare providers from
Hawthorne Effect
and
Elligo
are onsite at the frontlines performing tests. Tests are then processed by
Quest Diagnostics
. Together, with federal, state, and local public health agencies, we are pushing forward to bring testing to the people who need it.
For more information, please visit the
Baseline COVID-19 Program
website, and follow Twitter
@VerilyLifeSci
for the latest updates.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Baseline COVID-19 Pilot Program shares early screening and testing progress
Site personnel in personal protective equipment (PPE) direct individuals to mobile testing site.
The
Baseline COVID-19 Pilot Program
launched operations this week with an online screening tool and sample collection sites in the Bay Area. The early days of the pilot have been focused on an end-to-end protocol and playbook that can scale. A critical part of this process is adjusting the screening and scheduling of individuals to prioritize those at highest risk, as identified by the CA Department of Public Health (CDPH), to match with testing supply and lab analysis capacity and to prevent on-site congestion
—
work that is facilitated through the Baseline Platform. Our team is working in partnership with local, state, and federal public health officials to rapidly establish a robust public health delivery framework that could extend to other sites.
We’ve learned a lot over the past few days and want to share early results and learnings from our initial screening and testing efforts.*
Pop-up testing sites
We’ve established multiple Bay Area sites, staffed by healthcare professionals and Verily team members, including two large expo centers that facilitate drive through screening and sample collection. In the first days of on-site testing, more than 130 individuals were tested, with over 350 more scheduled for appointments this week. Our lab partners are analyzing the samples, and we expect the results to be available for those already tested in the coming days.
Online triage tool
More than 12,000 individuals have completed the public health screener through the online tool since launch. The screener is dynamic and the criteria may change over time based on epidemiological data and government directives. As we scale testing at these facilities and begin opening new ones, we will be adjusting the triage algorithm in response to CDPH objectives.
This program is meant to reduce the burden on our hospital system and is complementary to testing happening in a clinical care situation. People with acute symptoms need acute triage and should not visit the sample collection sites, as the sites are not prepared to provide medical care.
In order to safely execute each part of our workflow, we are continuing to make improvements and adapt on-site as we learn, while focusing on protecting individual privacy and ensuring safety for the teams. Building on learnings from these critical first few days, we expect an increase in our testing capacity in the coming days. Please check back for updates on the Baseline COVID-19 Pilot Program at
projectbaseline.com/covid-19
.
*
Note, statistics are based on data collected as of Wednesday, March 17, 2020.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
The Project Baseline COVID-19 Program: Responding to a health crisis
In the early days of this pandemic, Verily - like so many around the world - watched with great concern as COVID-19 took hold in Asia. As the virus spread across the globe, it was clear that COVID-19 was overwhelming countries, regardless of preparedness. As a group of scientists, clinicians, and engineers, we began to contemplate what we could do to support a critical public health crisis.
In conversation with federal, state, and county agencies, we heard about the primary roadblocks to respond, including scalable risk screening, testing capacity, and concerns of an overburdened healthcare system whose focus needed to be treating severe cases. Of immediate concern was the ability to triage individuals at high risk of exposure and high morbidity.
We were asked by the agencies to contribute in any way we could, and our team at Verily moved with great urgency to develop
The Baseline COVID-19 Pilot Program
in response. We needed a system that enabled authorized collection and secure storage of health information, and so we employed the existing Project Baseline platform, which is purpose-built for this use. This enabled us to move rapidly to construct a dynamic screening tool, which could scale over time. For the pilot, we have worked in partnership with public health agencies, the California Governor’s office, and the California Department of Public Health. The goal was to identify people, starting in the Bay Area, who were at high risk for COVID-19 but did not require immediate medical attention. The screener can change responsively based on epidemiological data and direction from the government on the populations of greatest concern.
However, screening on its own is not enough in the current environment, and we have worked in conjunction with state and local officials to secure and stand up collection sites for testing and to close the loop on scheduling through the Baseline platform. At the screening sites, qualified healthcare professionals from our partners can collect samples from those deemed high risk, with results returned back to the individual.
Our pilot program launched on Monday with considerable effort by an extraordinary group of Verily, Google, and Alphabet volunteers working with our testing partners and state and local authorities. Three drive-through collection sites were established in a matter of days: one in San Mateo County and two in Santa Clara County. We are actively filling the testing appointments and are ramping up to increase capacity. These onsite efforts have been developed by Verily team members with experience in rapid response, laboratory management, and field operations. We are already working with the government to identify new site locations and to develop site playbooks in order to expand these services to more members of the community in the coming weeks and months.
Verily and Alphabet volunteers with local and county authorities at a site meeting in San Mateo.
At the heart of everything that we do at Verily is a strong commitment to the privacy and security of our users and their data. We recognize that health data is precious, and we are unwilling to sacrifice protections that safeguard people’s privacy, no matter how quickly we need to move.
At Verily, we comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations that govern data privacy and security, including, for example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The data we are collecting for this Baseline COVID-19 testing program is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols. Data privacy and security is an expansive topic, and we have included several frequently asked questions regarding our own policies below.
At Verily, we aim to make health data useful so people can live healthier lives and in a time of public health crisis, we are proud to be doing our part to increase our collective capacity to respond.
FAQ
Why does the program require consent/authorization?
Authorization is required to collect, use and share information and must be provided before screening begins. The services the Baseline COVID-19 Program is providing inherently require the limited and responsible sharing of information with other groups. For example, we need to share this information with companies that are performing the testing onsite or laboratories that are running the test. This sharing is fundamental to the coordination of services to make sure the right tests are done for the right people and the results are returned only to appropriate people.
What are you collecting and who has access to the information I provide?
The information we are collecting for this program includes basic contact and scheduling information that will be used for the purposes of supporting testing of individuals. Verily personnel and volunteers who need to contact you regarding testing will have access to such data only for these purposes. Verily will also have access to your signed COVID-19 authorization form and survey responses, and may have access to your test results. The information you choose to provide during the screening process or testing process may also be shared with the healthcare professionals at the specimen collection sites, the clinical laboratory that processes specimens, the California Department of Public Health, and potentially other federal, state, and local health authorities, as requested or mandated for public health purposes.
Why do I need to link to a Google Account?
We’re asking you to either link to an existing Google Account or create a new Google Account (which can be done with any email address) for authentication purposes, and to contact you during the screening and testing process, or to put you on a waitlist so that we can contact you when more appointments become available. Verily is a separate company from Google, and we use Google’s infrastructure to ensure safe encryption and protection of health information.
Does authorizing data collection for COVID-19 screening program give Verily consent to link my data to my Google Account?
No, authenticating your account and authorizing us to use service providers does not authorize us to link your data with Google account data. We do not combine this data with an individual's Google account, and were we to ever wish to do so, individuals would need to provide separate and explicit consent.
How are you protecting my data?
We are compliant with the California Consumer Privacy Act and comply with all applicable data privacy and security regulations. We are committed to maintaining high privacy standards and keeping your data safe. Project Baseline by Verily follows federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual’s data. The information provided will be stored in a secure, encrypted database. An individual’s data collected by Verily through the testing program will never be joined with their data stored in Google products without their explicit permission.
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Verily, in collaboration with the California Governor’s office, federal, state and local public health authorities, will launch pilot intended to expand access to COVID-19 risk screening and testing for high risk individuals at Bay Area locations
A coalition of scientists, public health officials, and citizens nationwide is uniting in the fight to contain the
COVID-19
pandemic. While headway is being made through social distancing efforts, it's clear that a more systematic means of risk assessment and testing is also critical.
In collaboration with the California Governor’s office, federal, state and local public health authorities, Verily is helping to establish testing sites in the Bay Area and an online tool to increase risk screening and testing for people at high risk of COVID-19. The tool will triage people who are concerned about their COVID-19 risk into testing sites based on guidance from public health officials and test availability.
Californians will be able to take an online COVID-19 screener survey through Project Baseline beginning Monday, March 16. People who meet eligibility and requirements for testing will be directed to mobile testing sites based on capacity, where they will complete a nasal swab test. Once tested, individuals will be informed of their COVID-19 test results within a few days.
To protect the most vulnerable, the COVID-19 testing pilot program will begin by testing the highest risk individuals at select sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, where there is a significant volume of known cases. As more testing kits and sites become available, we plan to scale the capacity.
Ultimately, our goal is to help local authorities expand testing access in California as the need continues to increase. The program is in its early stages, and we will take the time to assess operations at pilot sites in the Bay Area before rolling out to additional sites. We are working closely with Governor Newsom’s office, federal authorities and local public health authorities to ensure we have the right capabilities in place to help more people over the coming weeks.
Launched in 2017 as an effort to map human health, Project Baseline is focused on advancing science and bridging the gap between clinical research and clinical care. The Baseline Platform delivers the core technology infrastructure to enable decentralized screening and support broader accessibility. The Baseline Platform securely collects and stores health information and is compliant with federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual's data. Data is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols.
We’re honored to help support such an important public health program. By connecting people with testing when it’s most needed, we hope to contribute to the efforts to address COVID-19.
The Baseline COVID-19 Program is live at
projectbaseline.com/covid19
. Individuals who take the online COVID-19 screener survey and meet eligibility requirements for testing will be directed to mobile testing sites based on capacity, where they will complete a nasal swab test. With this pilot, we have planned a staged roll-out for appointments. Appointments will continue to expand through this program as we scale in the near future.
Please note: this program is intended to expand access to COVID-19 risk screening and testing. This program is not intended for people experiencing
severe
cough, shortness of breath, fever, or other concerning symptoms who may need more acute medical care, as our mobile testing sites are not currently prepared to provide acute medical attention. We are early in this pilot and are going to be learning more that will help refine COVID-19 risk screening and testing.
For the latest on COVID-19 screening, visit the Baseline COVID-19 Program website. We will continue to provide regular updates on testing as the Baseline COVID-19 Program expands.
What is Project Baseline?
Project Baseline is a technology platform that supports research and community health initiatives. We’re focused on making it easy and engaging for people to contribute to the map of human health and learn more about their own health. The platform securely collects and stores health information. It is compliant with federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual's data. Data is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols.
What is Verily?
Project Baseline was founded by Verily, a subsidiary of Alphabet focused on life sciences and healthcare, and sister company to Google.
Will this affect my insurance or medical services?
No. We will not share any information with your insurance or medical providers without your consent. You and your clinician will continue to make decisions about your care.
How will you protect my privacy?
We are committed to maintaining high privacy standards and keeping your data safe. Project Baseline follows federal and state regulations governing the collection and use of an individual's data. Data in Verily’s possession is stored in advanced systems with security and privacy protocols.
Will my information be used for advertising?
No, your information will not be used for advertising.
This post was updated on Monday, March 16, 2020, at 4 PM PT.
Monday, February 24, 2020
Addressing the biggest health threat to American women through research and representation
Facing a crisis in heart disease, then responsible for half of all American deaths, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced American Heart Month in February 1964 “to give heed to the nationwide problem...and support the programs required to bring about its solution.”
This February, we celebrate the fifty sixth anniversary of American Heart Month — as well as the fiftieth anniversary of Black History Month. As we recognize these observances, it’s important to note that there is an intersection between health outcomes and ethnicity within the United States — one that is particularly magnified when accounting for gender.
Since 1964, heart disease remains the leading cause of mortality for American women, claiming
six times as many lives as breast cancer
. Evidence shows that heart disease disproportionately impacts women of color, claiming the lives of more black women than all forms of cancer, accidents, assaults and Alzheimer’s disease combined. In fact, black women in their 20s are nearly
10 times more likely
to die from heart disease than breast cancer.
Historically, researchers largely studied heart disease in men, with relatively low diversity in study populations. The resulting gaps in scientific data inherently constrain our ability to understand and treat cardiovascular disease (or CVD) in women and minority groups. For instance, new evidence shows that women may experience different heart attack symptoms than men, and current clot-busting drugs and heart-related medical procedures
are not as effective in women
. Despite signs of gender-based efficacy differences, a recent review of heart research revealed that women comprised
only 27% of the pooled population
of more than 250 trials. It’s estimated that only
3.2% of women
in CVD clinical trials globally are black. Further, existing research on CVD in Latino and Asian communities is even more limited, potentially masking disparities among different ethnic subgroups.
Research Goes Red
, a collaboration between the American Heart Association and Project Baseline, aims to change these statistics by addressing traditional disparities in research representation. Launched in 2019 during American Heart Month, Research Goes Red is bringing together women from all backgrounds to combat their greatest health threat. Women can participate in surveys and focus groups, contribute data for clinical research projects and test new tools, technologies and treatments in years to come.
“For many of us, when we go to the doctor, we assume there’s an entire view of the body, but especially for women, there are sometimes many unanswered questions,” says Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association. “Research Goes Red empowers our growing and passionate community of committed and engaged women to share their health information to greatly enhance what we know about women’s heart disease and potentially help prevent it.”
Designed as a digitally-focused study, Research Goes Red enables women to contribute in a way that’s easy, non-invasive, and meaningful. “Project Baseline is a multi-faceted effort: as a clinical research initiative, a scientific and participant community, and technology platform, we’re broadly focused on making research participation more accessible,” said Jessica Mega, MD MPH cardiologist and chief medical and scientific officer, Verily. “One important way we do this is by allowing research to occur both in and outside of the clinic. Traditionally, research participation can be arduous, requiring people to travel to research sites and spend long hours in labs for weeks to months on end. Our hope is that addressing these barriers will help a broad group of women get involved, in a way that doesn’t conflict with their busy lives.”
To learn more about Research Goes Red and its mission to change the statistics around women and heart disease, visit our
website
.
Posted by Tina Karimi, Contributing Editor, Verily
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Project Baseline participant wins election to City Council
Balloons, cheers and congratulations awaited Andy Langford, 67, when he arrived for his annual Health Study visit, after winning a seat on the City Council in Concord, N.C.
“I’m very proud to be part of Project Baseline, and I believe that it’s making a major difference in our community and hopefully in the world,” said Andy. “Participating in clinical research, just like being an elected official, is a way for me to give back to my community.”
Andy has a long history of community service. Recently retired after 42 years as a United Methodist minister, he began participating in clinical research studies in 2009 at the Duke School of Medicine site in Kannapolis, where he enrolled in Project Baseline.
Running for elected office wasn’t on Andy’s “bucket list,” he jokes. When a City Council member and good friend passed away unexpectedly, Andy conducted the funeral service. Friends and family began to encourage him to run for his friend’s seat.
Four months later, Andy won election to a four-year term in Concord, a city with a population nearing 100,000. He was sworn into office on Dec. 12.
“Project Baseline and ministry and now elected office — they are all the same things, just different dimensions of public service,” he said.
His campaign motto was simple. “I will listen, I will study hard, and I will make hard decisions.”
Andy estimates that he talked to thousands of voters during the campaign, and their requests were often related to health and wellness.
“They want more parks, greenways and bike lanes and better access to healthcare. It’s about quality of life and healthy living,” he said. “That echoes Project Baseline, which is about giving back and serving the whole person, serving every constituency. Just like serving on City Council.”
Posted by Tina Karimi, Contributing Editor, Verily
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