TRICORE REFERENCE LABORATORIES DOUBLES COVID-19 TESTING CAPACITY
TriCore Reference Laboratories announces the addition of the Abbott m2000 platform to increase their COVID-19 testing capabilities. This high-capacity testing instrument doubles TriCore’s previous COVID-19 testing capacity, taking it from 500 to 1000 tests per day.
“The TriCore team worked 24/7 to bring on this new test as soon as it was available to us. We continue to explore multiple avenues to help further increase COVID testing capacity for New Mexico, and will keep the community updated as these efforts come to fruition,” said Dr.Karissa Culbreath, Medical Director and Infectious Disease Division Chief at TriCore.
“In order to optimize our COVID testing capacity, we have been coordinating with various health systems to prioritize critical, hospitalized and emergency department patients. The cooperation among the systems has been impressive,” said Dr. Doug Clark, Chief Medical Officer at TriCore. “Today’s increased capacity allows us to more efficiently meet the needs of both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients in New Mexico. The best way for the public to help us is to continue to follow the published CDC recommendations for social distancing, as well as seek guidance from their healthcare providers for the best decisions about testing based on symptoms and risk level.”
On March 12, TriCore launched the CDC assay for COVID-19 testing. Since that time, TriCore has performed well over 3000 COVID-19 tests. Additionally, as part of screening for the COVID-19 virus, TriCore has performed over 6,000 tests for other respiratory pathogens including influenza and RSV.
Says Dr. David Grenache, TriCore Chief Scientific Officer and Medical Director of TriCore’s Core Laboratory, “In the midst of responding to the coronavirus pandemic, we continue to support our clinical colleagues to care for all of New Mexico’s patients. In addition to the coronavirus testing, TriCore continues to perform nearly a million laboratory tests each month, addressing the needs of oncology patients, transplant patients, and patients with chronic illnesses that require continual monitoring.”
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About TriCore Reference Laboratories
About TriCore Reference Laboratories TriCore Reference Laboratories is an independent, not-for-profit, clinical reference laboratory founded and headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, co-sponsored by Presbyterian Healthcare Services and University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. TriCore provides over 2,900, full-service, state-of-the-art laboratory tests to healthcare professionals and their patients. TriCore also provides analytics and research services, supporting healthcare and scientific organizations worldwide. TriCore’s Rhodes Group offers laboratory software and consulting services to optimize clinical laboratory operations, including empowering population health management and targeted intervention strategies. For more information, visit tricore.org.
Contact:
Beth Bailey
TriCore Reference Laboratories
Elizabeth.Bailey@tricore.org
5059388393