Hide Transcript Show Transcript

A DAY. THINGS ARE EVOLVING QUICKLY AT GRAVITY DIAGNOSTICS. >> IF YOU MET US IN JANUARY AND YOU SAID TONY CAN YOU DO 4,000 SAMPLES A DAY? WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU WERE CRAZY. MOLLIE: BUT THAT’S NOW THE GOAL. DOUBLE THEIR ORIGINAL BENCHMARK OF 2,000 EACH DAY. THE LAB JUST SURPASSED 5,000 TESTS PROCESSED. NEW TECHNOLOGY AND PARTNERSHIPS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THEIR TEST VOLUME. >> SIGNED UP AN ADDITIONAL AGREEMENT TO DO KROGER DRIVE THROUGHS IN KENTUCKY SO THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL VOLUME ON TOP OF THOSE 2,000. KROGER IS TRYING TO DO 1,000 SAMPLES A DAY. MOLLIE: COURIERS DELIVER NASAL SWABS AFTER A TEST HAS BEEN ADMINISTERED. THOSE ARE COUNTED SORTED AND ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM. >> WE HAVE A DRY ERASE BOARD WITH THE 8 GROUPS WE’RE SERVING RIGHT NOW AND WE KNOW EACH DAYPW SO I THINK WE’RE UNIQUE IN THAT WE’RE SMALLER SO WE’RE ALE TO BE MORE NIMBLE AND FLEXIBLE. MOLLIE: EACH TEST IS LABELED. AND THEN THE SCIENCE BEGINS. >> WHAT WE DO HERE IS CALLED A BATCH PROCESS. SO EVERY SINGLE SWAB WE DO IS PUT INTO A TRAY OF 94 SAMPLES AND AS WE’RE ADDING SAMPLES WE ARE BUILDING THAT PLATE MAP WE KNOW JANE SMITH’S SAMPLE IS IN B3 OF THE TRAY. MOLLIE: CEO ANTHONY REMINGTON SAYS THEY STARTED WITH JUST TWO HOODS DEVICES NEEDED IN THE EXTRACTION PROCESS. HE QUICKLY DOUBLED THAT WHEN THE PANDEMIC BEGAN AND A NEW DELIVERY MEANS MORE TESTING CAPABILITY. >> WE’LL BE ABLE TO DO SIX DIFFERENT STATIONS OF EXTRACTION AT A TIME AND THAT’S HOW WE’LL GET TO 4000 TO 5000 ABLE. MOLLIE: GRAVITY DIAGNOSTICS IS ALSO DONATING THOUSANDS OF DISPOSABLE GOWNS TO THE STATE OF KENTUCKY MOST OF THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE NOW WEARING REUSABLE GOWNS SO THEY DON’T NEED THE REST OF THE INVENTOR REPORTING LIVE IN COVI

Advertisement Gravity Diagnostics brings in new equipment, partnerships to increase testing in Kentucky Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A Northern Kentucky lab is playing a vital role in testing across the state.Gravity Diagnostics is partnering with Kroger to process drive-thru testing and working to increase daily capacity."If you met us in January and you said, 'Tony can you do 4,000 samples a day?' we would have thought you were crazy," said CEO Anthony Remington.But that's now the goal, double their original benchmark of 2,000 each day.The lab just surpassed 5,000 tests processed.New technology and partnerships will continue to increase their test volume."We signed up an additional agreement to do Kroger drive-thrus in Kentucky so that would be an additional volume on top of those 2,000. Kroger is trying to do 1,000 samples a day," said Remington.Couriers deliver nasal swabs after a test has been administered.Those are counted, sorted and entered into the system. "We have a dry erase board with the eight groups we're serving right now and we know each day who sends what. So I think we're unique in that we're smaller so we're able to be more nimble and flexible," said Remington.Each test is labeled and then the science begins. "What we do here is called a batch process. So every single swab we do is put into a tray of 94 samples and as we're adding samples we are building that plate map. So we know, for example, Jane Smith's sample is in B3 of the tray," said VP of Clinical, Regulatory and Research Programs JP Canner.Remington said they started with just two hoods, devices needed in the extraction process.He quickly doubled that when the pandemic began and a new delivery means more testing capability. "We'll be able to do six different stations of extraction at a time and that's how we'll get to 4-5,000 a day," said Remington.Gravity Diagnostics is also donating thousands of disposable gowns to the state of Kentucky.Most of their employees are now wearing reusable gowns so they don't need the rest of the inventory.