Distribution: Capture new revenue 

Q. How do I access COVID‐19 OTC tests for large employers in my community?  

A. As the country waits with bated breath on the outcome of the pending vaccine mandate currently under review by the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, forward-thinking HME providers are already laying the groundwork to access testing supplies and create programs to help large employers in the communities they serve navigate these new requirements.  

Under the mandate (currently on pause), businesses with 100 or more employees will be required to ensure their staff have been fully vaccinated against COVID‐19 by Jan. 4, 2022. After that date, unvaccinated workers must submit a negative COVID‐19 test weekly to enter the workplace.  

As you can imagine, with less than 60 days remaining until the vaccine mandate could become effective, employers will be scrambling to find trusted partners to help them supply and manage testing non‐vaccinated workers and ensure compliance, if indeed the mandate goes into effect in January. While diagnostic testing may be outside the normal wheelhouse of a provider’s breadth of products, ensuring individuals and businesses remain compliant with policies is something they have been excelling at for years. It also presents an opportunity to generate an additional revenue stream and further strengthen your ties locally within your service area.  

Now, you may ask how a provider goes about sourcing product in an area that is uncharted territory and may present many questions that need to be work out. The answer is simple – distribution. Distributors sell into many channels of health care, such as physician offices, hospitals and long‐term care facilities. Because of this, they are experienced in supplying rapid tests and have strong relationships with leading manufacturers like Quidel that are at the forefront of manufacturing OTC at‐home tests for COVID‐19. 

If this piques your interest, I encourage you to schedule a call with a distributor to discuss how they can help you access this new category of products and capture new revenues in your region. 

Colton Mason is senior vice president at Supreme Medical Fulfillment. Reach him at colton@suprememedical.com or 800-461-1370.