COVID-19 pandemic: NIH-sponsored tool helps calculate costs, benefits of workplace testing

Washington — In an effort to help employers determine the most feasible means of COVID-19 testing for their workforce, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed an online calculator.

Funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, part of the National Institutes of Health, the free tool analyzes costs and benefits of testing approaches via NIH’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Tech program.

After entering various specifics related to their jobsite, including how many individuals require testing each day, users will receive a report detailing the estimated cost, speed and accuracy of each option. Further, users can receive additional testing recommendations by inputting other Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended COVID-19-related safety measures – such as the use of masks, contact tracing and physical distancing – implemented at their facility.

In a press release, Bruce Tromberg, director of NIBIB and lead for the RADx Tech program, said the tool will help employers “quickly evaluate the cost and performance of different tests to help find the best match for their unique organization.”