CHICAGO, May 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tempus, a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence in healthcare, introduced a series of offerings designed to both advance vital research and support physicians in treating cancer patients, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tempus is equipping physicians with the tools they need to treat high-risk patients while limiting their exposure to the virus, with mobile phlebotomy services, on-demand virtual case reviews, and COVID-19 PCR diagnostic testing for cancer patients.
“Cancer continues to be among the leading causes of death worldwide, and now more than ever, it is critical that cancer patients continue to receive the care and treatment they need for survival despite the pandemic,” said Eric Lefkofsky, Founder and CEO. “In the last few months, we’ve quickly mobilized to create offerings that ease the burden on physicians treating cancer patients amidst the threat of COVID-19, through a series of services and tests that are badly needed to ensure therapies aren’t disrupted.”
COVID-19 PCR Diagnostic Testing
Earlier this month, Tempus launched a diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19. Tempus’ CAP-accredited/CLIA-certified labs in Chicago and Atlanta are supporting the acceleration of testing in the U.S., and expect to test approximately 12,000 patients daily across both labs, with the ability to scale further if needed. Tempus makes it seamless for physicians to test their patients for the virus, providing results within 24-48 hours at no cost to the patient as Tempus bills insurance directly.
Mobile Phlebotomy
Tempus now offers mobile phlebotomy services, which are available to patients who require a blood draw but are too sick or unable to travel to the clinic, or do not have access to an in-office phlebotomist or draw site. Experts are able to perform blood draws in patients’ homes for any Tempus test in which a blood sample is required, at no added cost.
Virtual Case Reviews
Tempus’ on-demand virtual case review system provides clinical support to physicians and care teams in a timely manner when an in-person meeting isn’t possible. Tempus’ Medical Affairs team is available to answer patient report questions in real-time in a secure portal. In addition, Tempus now offers a variety of tele-health support services specific to COVID-19 if needed.
Research Collaboration
Tempus has launched a large research collaboration to structure data for up to 50,000 COVID-19 positive patients. As part of the IRB approved study, Tempus is partnering with providers to collect data on COVID-19 patients, which Tempus is structuring and de-identifying without cost. In addition, Tempus expects to perform full transcriptomic profiling of approximately 10,000 patients within the cohort. All data will be shared with all participating institutions without restriction.
About Tempus
Tempus is a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence in healthcare. With one of the world’s largest libraries of clinical and molecular data, and an operating system to make that data accessible and useful, Tempus enables physicians to make real-time, data-driven decisions to deliver personalized patient care and in parallel facilitates discovery, development and delivery of optimal therapeutics. The goal is for each patient to benefit from the treatment of others who came before by providing physicians with tools that learn as the company gathers more data. For more information, visit tempus.com.
Erin Carron
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