Northwell Health launches LabFly in Manhattan, Queens, first health system app to facilitate blood draws at home or work

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y., Oct. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwell Health Labs, a division of Northwell Health, the largest health system in the Northeast, has launched LabFly, a mobile app that allows patients to schedule blood draws in the privacy of their home or workplace. This "concierge health care" app is the first of its kind in the nation to be released by a health system and is available now across Manhattan and Queens. It offers patients a convenient and private alternative to having their blood taken at a traditional Patient Service Center. 

The LabFly app is available for download via Apple's iTunes store and Google Play for Android users. Users simply enter their demographic information, take a photo of their insurance card and paper prescription, then choose a day and time slot to schedule a home or private office visit from one of over 150 Northwell Health's lab experts. Caregivers can also schedule a blood draw for someone they are caring for. On the day of the appointment, a patient can view the location of the lab expert in similar fashion to popular ride-sharing apps. Patients can securely access their test results via the app within approximately four days.

The need for lab testing is not only high in the Northeast, but across the country. Laboratory testing is the single highest volume medical activity, with about 13 billion tests performed in the United States every year, according to lab accreditation bureau COLA. Industry studies indicate that approximately 70 percent of medical decisions are based on lab results, yet many patients who have prescriptions for lab work never get them filled.

To meet that demand, Northwell opened a $59 million, 101,000-square-foot core lab in Nassau County with the largest automated testing line of its kind and a $47 million, 36,000-square-foot microbiology lab in Queens – all since February.

"The LabFly app is another way to connect our patients to the great services Northwell Health Labs provides," said Michael J. Dowling, Northwell Health president and chief executive officer. "In the past few months, we've built a number of state-of-the-art labs that allows us to do more testing and make our labs a leader in the tristate area. We look forward to continuing this expansion of our labs through LabFly and other future technologies."

The fee for lab testing is covered by most patient's insurers. There is a convenience fee of $19.99, which includes transportation and sample collection. Northwell Health Labs is offering an introductory discount: First draw is 25 percent off* with the code "LabFly2019." In most instances, the convenience fee will not be covered by insurance.

"We are happy to launch this state-of-the-art app that allows our patients to schedule personalized, professional blood draws with ease," said Dwayne Breining, MD, Northwell Health Labs executive director. "At Northwell Health Labs, our goal is to bring innovative ideas to the table. This app is a new way to give our patients access to the quality experience they would receive at one of our patient service centers, but in their living room or place of work. Whether it's young children who are anxious about a blood draw, busy professionals or someone you're caring for, this app is a convenient way to help fulfill our patients' needs."

LabFly by Northwell Health Labs has been developed in partnership with Software company MphRx and is based on its Minerva platform. This is a great example of how Northwell Health Labs is using the new FHIR health care standard to build innovative and engaging experiences for their patients.

The app is being released in four geographic phases. The first phase is operational now across Long Island, Manhattan and Queens. The next phases are expected to launch to Brooklyn and Staten Island, followed by the Bronx and Westchester. LabFly is expected to be live in all regions by the end of 2019.

* Limited time offer: promo code must be entered to receive the discount off your first blood draw. Discount is applied to the convenience fee only. Valid through March 31, 2020. If you are homebound, the fees for having a home blood draw may be covered by your insurer. If you have any questions, please contact us at 516 719-1082.

About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State's largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We're making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Northwell Health

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https://www.northwell.edu