The Founder of Rapid Rona
Alexei Mlodinow, an alumni of Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, watched as the COVID-19 pandemic developed and was concerned by the low level of testing, the lack of accessibility to testing, and how long it took to get results once tested. Therefore he and several colleagues created the Chicago-based start-up RapidRona. Using his medical knowledge and the already well developed nasal swab test, he worked with the company he is a part of, Surgical Innovation Associates, to develop an at-home testing kit. This was just the beginning of the creativity and innovation of RapidRona, as Alexei then began to examine the manner in which mainly larger labs were being utilized for COVID-19 testing, when there are thousands of smaller labs around America that can help to make a difference and help with the back-log in testing that healthcare professionals and lab technicians are struggling with. The goal of RapidRona thus is to help make testing more accessible with the at-home testing kits, and to increase how many tests can be processed and results be communicated in a given day by utilizing smaller labs.
RapidRona's Logo
As Simple as Using Uber
In an article written by The Daily Northwestern, Mlodinow and the other co-founders "compared the at-home test process to Uber, with the patients as riders and the labs as drivers". By using the knowledge he has in his domain of medicine, examining patterns in testing and where testing occurred, and drawing inspiration from already established at-home testing kits and companies such as Uber, Mlodinow combined these pre-existing ideas in a creative manner in order to develop RapidRona. This is similar to the manner in which the Z-boys took common surfing styles and tricks and made them creative by applying them to skateboarding. Now it is possible for patients to request tests and get them sent to their homes, swab themselves, then send their swabs out to labs contracted through RapidRona. This means no more waiting in line at a doctor's office or testing clinics, faster test processing, and hearing back about results sooner. In the same article, Mlodinow talks about his motivation and creative process, stating "you have an ability to be involved in something that could actually help with an ongoing national emergency, and a good group of people behind it to help it move forward- it's almost a moral obligation to do so".
Alexei Mlodinow
How it Works and How You Can Help
I learned about RapidRona when I was researching ways I could volunteer and help others throughout the course of the pandemic, as my typical volunteer activities were put on hold when Loyola University of Chicago suspended their campus activities in March. I found RapidRona and now help by calling small labs around the nation and using an interactive script to inquire if they would like to be contracted by RapidRona to help process the at-home testing kits and communicate results with the patients. I try to make about 20 calls a week, and our goal is to get these labs to commit to even just 1,000 tests a week, so by the end of the week I ideally could have helped 20,000 people receive COVID-19 tests in a quick and inexpensive fashion. If you would like to get involved and help out, you can visit RapidRona's volunteer website and attend one of their Zoom orientation sessions, then get started making calls!
I love that Mlodinow combined at-home testing with an Uber-like concept! I never would have thought to combine medicine with a system like Uber, but it seems like an excellent plan, especially since it will allow people who may be infected to stay home to get tested rather than go out and risk spreading the virus. I also think it is great that smaller labs are incorporated; I know many people have had to wait days to get their results simply because labs could not work through the tests quickly enough. I appreciate that he is driven by wanting to help people. When it became apparent that COVID-19 testing and treatment would require significant innovation, I worried that the developments would be motivated only by potential gains, so it is good to see that this is not the case with RapidRona. I thought this was a very interesting post, and I hope to see more about RapidRona in the near future!
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really fascinating idea that should be used throughout all of the US. I know how popular Uber has become, and I think if you can get COVID tests this quickly and easily, more people would be willing to get tested. I also love how Modinow thought to combine medicine with a concept like Uber. However, seeing the success that Uber has had makes it a great idea to use a similar system in other domains.
ReplyDeleteI think this will also help many immuno-compromised people or elderly people who do not wish to leave their homes to get tested at a hospital or drive-thru testing center. Modinow did a good job at evaluating the risk of people leaving their homes duirng this pandemic and using his knowledge and resources to create this product that will help many people.
I would love to volunteer for RapidRona, and I'm so glad that you wrote about it and brought it to my attention. I never would have known about this otherwise! I also think it's such an amazing way to volunteer during a time like this:)
Alexei Mlodinow is truly an amazing, intelligent, caring figure! Obviously the presence of coronavirus has taken a huge toll on society, and it is very important that someone fights to make testing more accessible. I like how Mlodinow targets the student population. One of the greatest fears of both residents living in student neighborhoods and school administration is the spreading of the virus amongst students. Mlodinow's process is both innovative and effective.
ReplyDeleteMlodinow was smart to compare this process to uber, as uber is a very common resource utilized by college students. Uber's reputation is that it is helpful and easy. This aligns perfectly with the at-home covid tests. I believe this method will make students feel more obligated to get tested if the process is truly that simple. In doing so, it can protect them and their community from spreading the virus in places outside of their homes.
Furthermore, implementing at-home tests is much safer for the community. It limits in-person contact between students that have suspected they have contracted covid, and students trying to stay safe by getting regularly tested. The shipment of tests directly to homes and the promise of rapid lab testing upon receiving results truly makes the testing process easier for students who are reluctant to wait in lines at the doctor's office, have the swab stuck up their nose by a nurse, or are worried about being in a medical environment with germs.
Mlodinow's tactics of accessibility, safety, and effectiveness will truly keep the community safe and is a step in the right direction to eliminate the spread of covid-19. Thank you for sharing this resource and even a short paragraph on ways we can help! RapidRona is truly a creative business and will hopefully serve to keep all communities safe!