Machine learning drives smarter pooled testing strategies

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 4, 2020 – Matrix Medical Network has partnered with Berkeley Data Ventures to improve the availability and ease of COVID-19 testing by combining the power of machine learning and pooled testing. The new solution, driven by machine learning algorithms, will enable more individuals to be tested, more often, through strategic pooled testing.

“Frequent testing, for example at a school or workplace, is both costly and a real challenge given limited testing capacity,” said Dr. Daniel Castillo, Chief Medical Officer, Matrix Medical Network. “Our partnership with Berkeley Data Ventures combines our clinical knowledge and their machine learning expertise to tackle this problem by establishing new and smarter protocols that allow more frequent testing.”

Matrix has administered more than 30,000 coronavirus tests since the onset of the pandemic. Of those who tested positive, many were asymptomatic. These asymptomatic, and pre-symptomatic, carriers add an additional layer to the challenge of detecting infected individuals. The algorithms devised by Berkeley Data Ventures leverage key data to identify the optimal testing strategy by assessing individual prevalence and correlation risk to show who would, and who would not, benefit from pooled testing.

“Pooled testing using machine learning allows us to get on the offensive of COVID-19 testing by allowing for efficient testing at high frequency,” said Ned Augenblick, Associate Professor Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. “One of the keys to the pooled testing algorithm is understanding who is more likely to be positive and separating them from those that are likely to be negative.”

Pooled testing can drastically help businesses boost testing capabilities. For example, if 20 individuals with a high likelihood of being negative were all pooled together for testing and no infection is detected, all of them are cleared using one test versus 20 individual tests. The strategy is to put people who are unlikely to be infected into a larger pool, and those that are likely to be infected into a much smaller pool, or even an individual test.

As businesses, universities and other organizations look to operate safely within the environment of COVID-19, frequent testing, along with the use of PPE and social distancing, is one of the most crucial strategies to have in place.

About Matrix Medical Network

Matrix Medical Network is a leader in supporting the needs of at-risk populations. Matrix has worked with millions of individuals across the country to assess and help them manage their health risks through a network of more than 3,000 clinicians and fleet of mobile health clinics. The clinical services organization’s unmatched network of healthcare professionals meets individuals where they live and work to assess health and safety, identify and close care gaps and offer life-changing services that activate them to manage their own health.

Matrix has deep roots in clinical assessment and care management services that improve health outcomes, while helping clients manage risks and connect individuals to more options for the care and support they need. Matrix combines leading-edge technologies and proprietary platforms to harness the massive amounts of data captured to drive better clinical decision-making, improving outcomes and satisfaction while reducing the cost of care. For more information, visit www.matrixmedicalnetwork.com.

About Berkeley Data Ventures

Berkeley Data Ventures was founded to help solve some of the biggest challenges in health care. The team brings years of academic experience studying behavioral economics, machine learning, causal inference and how these tools apply to health and health care as well as deep industry and government experience. Berkeley Data Ventures partners with companies trying to create truly unique solutions that generate massive value and change the health care system by bridging the gap between data analytics and strategy to build technology solutions and deploy them with measurable impact.

Media Contact

David Goodspeed
Director, Marketing & Communications, Matrix Medical Network
[email protected]
480.286.1311

Megan Manzari
Public Relations Supervisor, Dixon Schwabl
[email protected]
585.899.3244

Initiatives part of ongoing health and safety efforts to combat COVID-19

Springdale, Ark. – July 30, 2020 – As part of its commitment to team member safety and continually evolving efforts to protect workers from COVID-19, Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is launching a new, industry-leading monitoring program and expanding its occupational health staff, including a new chief medical officer position.

The comprehensive COVID monitoring strategy was designed with the assistance of outside medical experts and includes ongoing, data driven COVID testing of workers without symptoms, as well as those who exhibit certain symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has the virus.

“While the protective measures we’ve implemented in our facilities are working well, we remain vigilant about keeping our team members safe and are always evaluating ways to do more,” said Donnie King, Tyson Foods group president and chief administrative officer.

“We believe launching a new, strategic approach to monitoring and adding the health staff to support it will help further our efforts to go on the offensive against the virus,” he said. “Adding more resources and technologies reinforces our commitment to protecting our team members, their families and plant communities.”

Tyson Foods has been using TESTING AS A TOOL to protect workers and has likely been involved in more testing than any other company in the country. Already having tested nearly a third of its workforce, the company plans to test thousands of workers every week across all of its facilities. Currently, less than one percent of Tyson Foods’ U.S. workforce of 120,000 team members has active COVID-19. The company is continually tracking active COVID-19 cases involving company team members as well as the case levels in the communities where the company operates.

The new monitoring strategy Tyson Foods is implementing was designed with input from MATRIX MEDICAL and is consistent with CDC guidance.

To support the effort, Tyson Foods has created a chief medical officer position and plans to add almost 200 nurses and administrative support personnel to supplement the more than 400 people currently part of the company’s health services team. The additional nurses will conduct the on-site testing and assist with case management, coordinating treatment for team members who contract the virus.

“What we’re adopting is a strategic, ongoing approach to combatting COVID-19,” said King. “It involves weekly testing of team members at our facilities to monitor for the presence of the virus. By using data science to test a statistically sound sample of team members, we have a better chance of staying ahead of any potential virus spread and protecting our teams and communities.”

“As the largest union for America’s meatpacking workers, we welcome this important step by Tyson Foods, which demonstrates the leadership needed to strengthen COVID monitoring across the industry,” said United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International President Marc Perrone. “UFCW is urging all companies in the industry to follow Tyson’s lead and take immediate action to expand COVID monitoring as we work to flatten the curve. Together, we will continue to look for new and better ways to protect the health and safety of the brave frontline workers who are so important to the nation’s food production system.”

The testing program includes three categories:

• Strategic, always-on monitoring. Team members who have no symptoms may be selected for testing based on an algorithm-based selection process. The number tested each week will be dynamic and adjusted based on factors, such as the number of positive cases involving plant workers as well as people in the community.
• Symptomatic team members. The company conducts health screenings daily as team members arrive for work. Those found to have symptoms will be tested using CDC GUIDANCE.
• Close contacts. Team members who have come into close contact with co-workers (or non-Tyson personnel in the workplace) who have symptoms or have tested positive will be tested according to CDC guidance.

“We’ve been piloting this program at several of our facilities and have seen great success,” said King. “Our team members tell us they feel especially supported by this scientifically sound combination of testing and monitoring.”

Medical experts believe this monitoring approach is the best way to screen for COVID-19 in an ongoing way that helps determine the prevalence of the virus and how to keep it under control. It will especially be helpful in identifying team members who have the virus but are not showing any symptoms.

“The new monitoring program we helped Tyson create is a science-first approach that’s really on the cutting edge of how workplaces can best mitigate the risk of the virus,” said Dr. Daniel Castillo, chief medical officer for Matrix Medical Network, which has assisted in the development of the advanced testing protocols. “You’ll likely see many others adopt a similar approach in the coming months because it’s a process that looks both at people showing symptoms as well as those who do not.”

Worker health and safety is Tyson Foods’ top priority. The company formed a coronavirus task force in January and has since transformed its food production facilities with protective measures, from SYMPTOM SCREENINGS and FACE MASKS, to workstation dividers and SOCIAL DISTANCE MONITORS.

Tyson Foods has given PLANT TOURS to GOVERNMENT LEADERS, and officials from the CDC and LULAC, the nation’s largest and oldest Hispanic organization, so they could see the measures the company has put place. LULAC has acknowledged that Tyson Foods has “made significant strides.”

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. is one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells®, ibp® and State Fair®. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it’s available and raise the world’s expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 141,000 team members. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit TYSONFOODS.COM.

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Contact: GARY MICKELSON, 479-236-9022