Affinity Empowering Enrolls The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' Gap Services Program into Operation Expanded Testing

ALEXANDRIA, Va. and PRESCOTT, Ark., Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Affinity Empowering, Inc., a leading provider of the most sophisticated and secure occupational, behavioral, and direct-to-consumer health services, today announced that the UAMS Gap Services program in Prescott, Ark., has been enrolled in Operation Expanded Testing (OET) and has begun providing no-cost COVID-19 tests to the community. The UAMS Gap Services program is among the first in Arkansas to enroll in OET.

UAMS Health opened the Gap Services office in Prescott to provide free health services and access to food and other resources for residents of southwest Arkansas. The office partnered with several organizations to offer testing and health education resources, including Affinity Empowering and OET. The Gap Services office will provide free COVID-19 testing every Monday between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 117 E. Main St. in Prescott. Walk-ins are accepted and appointments can be made by emailing [email protected]. Anyone receiving their first test will need to register online at this link.

"UAMS strives to provide the best health care options for everyone in Arkansas. With rising COVID-19 case numbers all across the country, we are proud that our Gap Services office in Prescott is able to offer free testing to anyone in need," said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. "We urge all community members to take advantage of this free program. Operation Expanded Testing has been a great addition to our successful community health service offerings."

"We commend UAMS for enrolling its Gap Services office into Operation Expanded Testing and setting an example for COVID-19 safety in the state of Arkansas. Surveillance COVID-19 testing – especially tests conducted with the gold standard PCR method of detection – is such an important measure to help reduce outbreak risk and to maintain peace of mind in the community," said Anne Haslerud, Vice President of Recruitment and Enrollment at Affinity Empowering. "Testing through OET is convenient, highly accurate, has a short turnaround time for results, and is a more comfortable experience than other COVID-19 tests – all great reasons for an organization to enroll."

Advantages of Operation Expanded Testing

Affinity Empowering offers the OET program on behalf of Eurofins Clinical. Affinity and Eurofins use PCR testing, the gold standard for accurate detection of COVID-19. The PCR test used in OET has 100% sensitivity and specificity, meaning that there are no false positives or false negatives. It also has the lowest limit of detection for any authorized COVID-19 test, enabling detection of COVID-19 at its earliest stages when viral load is low.

While testing, individuals submit two samples - collected from the tip of the nose for minimal invasiveness. One sample from each individual is pooled together to expedite sample analysis. If a pool shows a positive result, the individual secondary samples from that pool are immediately analyzed. This scheme avoids the need for sample recollection and lowers the overall turnaround time for results. Through its proprietary Assure integrated technology platform, Affinity delivers COVID-19 test results with an average turnaround time of 24 hours.

About Operation Expanded Testing 

Operation Expanded Testing (OET) is a federally funded program to provide no-cost, "click and go" COVID-19 surveillance testing to congregate settings, including K-12 schools, Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and select, nonprofit community centers. COVID-19 surveillance testing is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the safe reopening of schools.

Affinity and Eurofins are coordinating OET program implementation to these institutions in 26 Northeastern and Southern states and additional territories, in agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

Unlike other federal programs to fund COVID-19 testing, OET has no upfront costs nor paperwork. Interested eligible parties can simply visit Affinity's OET website and click the "Enroll Today" button and provide some basic information. Affinity will then provide the resources and training necessary to establish a COVID-19 testing program at your institution. For questions or additional information, visit the website or contact Affinity's 24/7 customer service staff directly (email: [email protected], phone: 1-844-631-0469). 

About Affinity Empowering 

Affinity Empowering is a leading occupational health, population, and disease management life sciences organization that specializes in providing technology-based solutions and support for overall health and wellness endeavors. In addition to providing occupational health, mental health, and cutting edge, wrap around substance use support, the company also has become a major provider of COVID-19 testing. Its Return to Normalcy program provides COVID-19 consultation, support, and conducts thousands of onsite and at home testing options to safely screen, monitor, and test populations. It currently supports numerous business partners in various fields, ranging from government contracts, universities, top Fortune 100 companies, and major film and television production companies. 

For more information, please visit https://www.affinitytesting.com 

Media Contacts

David Melamed
Russo Partners, LLC
(212) 845-4225
[email protected]

LaTunja Sockwell
UAMS Gap Services
(501) 413-5403
[email protected]

SOURCE Affinity Empowering, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.affinitytesting.com