A state investigation found problems with certain tubes used to ship patient samples for testing at the lab, NovaDX, according to state health officials. The city says it promised a 72-hour test result turnaround time. Beginning 3/22/2021, Honu Management Group will only provide Confirmatory PCR test support . This was in partnership with the National Guard, HONU Management Group, and the city of Detroit. The citys vetting process did not pick up potential red flags, The Dallas Morning News found. hbbd``b`$ @%$D0t $t_ $$nL I#3|0 :
A spokesman for Mayor Eric Johnson confirmed the change. The county has not paid any of its part of the deal. Honu promised results within 72 hours. The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more information at a federal level about COVID-19 and our current pandemic. The decision less than two months after Honu began running drive-through testing for the city and county came after local officials began investigating the companys $14.6 million contract. Stay informed with a detailed weekly report on DFWs evolving healthcare industry. City and county officials did not immediately respond to questions from The News on Tuesday about contract details. Effective August 28th, @Parkland will take over the site @eastfield_dc currently run by Hanu. Washingtonians weigh in on recent efforts to limit insulin costs, Winner of $754.6 million Powerball jackpot's identity revealed, Portions of western Washington under Winter Weather Advisory overnight, accuses Thornton and others at DA Medical of orchestrating a kickback. Dallas city officials said they followed proper vetting procedures. MARQUETTE COVID-19 testing sites at several local sites have been announced. A second reference told The News Honu overstated its work and another customer said they had a bad experience with the company. Testing for a national healthcare company. In seeking a contractor, city officials bypassed the usual competitive bidding rules. A day after powerful thunderstorms, North Texas surveys the damage, 3 children killed, 2 wounded at Ellis County home; suspect in custody, How a Texas districts reaction to school shooting fears highlights discipline concerns, Carrollton man advertised pills on social media to entice teens to buy fentanyl, feds say. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Honu also said it provided lab testing, protective gear and patient monitoring for the Indian Health Services - Sioux Nation beginning in April. The state of Michigan recently signed a $42 million contract with Honu, which is expected to begin testing there within a few weeks. Jenkins told county commissioners at their Tuesday meeting that the hospital would provide up to 250 tests per day, half of Honus volume. Nearly 13,000 COVID cases had been reported in St. Clair County, with 275 deaths and 3,936 active . When she did get her results 10 days later, they were rejected, meaning the test was unable to determine whether she had coronavirus. In one case, Honu told the city it had worked with a healthcare company called CareATC, and that CareATC had established testing facilities for emergency workers in Dallas and four other cities across the country. Spokane Valley, WA We've detected that JavaScript is disabled in your browser. A general rise in COVID-19 cases, as well as the spread of the B.1.1.7 variant in Livingston County, is prompting a drive-thru testing event this weekend. Back to coronavirus.in.gov; Need help? of Health and Human Services and HONU . Sex. We would not be in a position to make any announcements about the company itself, said Peterson, because Honu and DA Medical are not licensed healthcare facilities. With one of them, at the American Airlines Center, set to close at the end of June, local officials said they needed a contractor who could take over the massive operation, from staffing the site and swabbing patients to testing the specimens and notifying people of their results. Full COVID-19 vaccination is an essential job function of this role. I didnt hear anything from the facility until ten days later when I received my test results, said Vanessa Izquierdo, who recently visited a drive-through test site that Honu ran at the University of Dallas. Dr. Philip Huang, Dallas Countys health director, said given the new pandemic, there are few companies able to run these massive testing operations. Peterson was asked if DOH should do more to warn other states about Honus link to DOHs ongoing investigation, since so much is at stake with coronavirus testing. City officials declined to say whether knowing about the discrepancies in Honus proposal would have changed the decision to award it the contract. Brings new meaning to the phrase Sunday Funday. Today's top 6 Uvex Group jobs in Frth, Bavaria, Germany. HONU sites will continue to rotate through multiple locations on Oahu for up to a maximum of 90-days at a time. COVID-19 Laboratory Bid 6/4/2020 Seven proposals were received in response to the COVID-19 PCR Laboratory Testing RFP 20-073. Is Dallas becoming unaffordable due to rising housing costs, inflation and stagnating pay? As Dallas County residents wait longer for COVID-19 test results at one site, leaders demand change, earlier this month found that the city missed potential, A day after powerful thunderstorms, North Texas surveys the damage, 3 children killed, 2 wounded at Ellis County home; suspect in custody, How a Texas districts reaction to school shooting fears highlights discipline concerns, Carrollton man advertised pills on social media to entice teens to buy fentanyl, feds say. The change takes effect Aug. 28 at Dallas College Eastfield Campus in Mesquite, Jenkins said. Since Honu started running the University of Dallas site, over 90% of test results have been turned around within 3 days, data provided by the county shows. It appears one time in the companys 35-page proposal, under the name Edwin Anderson, on a California lab licensing document. As of Nov. 30, Otsego County had 3,947 COVID-19 cases and 67 deaths from the disease. Closes 7:30 PM. It was interesting. Around the same time, the federal government began threatening to pull its support from two major drive-through sites where city and county residents could get tested for free. Dallas has canceled its $14 million contract with Honu. Thornton said that once notified of the issue, DA Medical did its own investigation, fired the pharmacy it had worked with, and is cooperating with state investigators. Dallas County COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Dallas County, as are hospitalizations across the state. Within the last five years, has your company or any of its related business entities defaulted on a contract or had a contract terminated for cause? If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Get immediate access to organizations and people LANSING, Mich. - Six contracts totaling nearly $60 million have been awarded by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to the help improve COVID-19 vaccination access for high-risk populations and settings across Michigan. With the advancement of information technology, traditional classroom teaching has gradually integrated the Internet and distance learning methods. CareATC provided the staffing while Honu said it provided lab testing and protective gear. After the Dallas Morning News articles, the mayor of Dallas called for an audit into how the Honu contract was awarded. He previously worked at The Denver Post covering the statehouse and two presidential campaigns. American Airlines, flight attendants file for mediation during contract negotiations, New Uptown office tower lands second major lease, Years after North Texas bid for Amazons second headquarters, retail giant halts plan, Mesquite to become the site of new 2,500-home community, North Texas builders see influx of activity in new year, but challenges persist, Mark Wahlberg pours tequila for fans at Dallas restaurant during thunderstorm, The Cowboys are closer than you think to a total makeover at running back, 12 Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants that have closed in 2023, Ex-Cowboys OC Kellen Moore opens up on Dallas departure, shows gratitude for Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys focused on adding another dynamic offensive weapon. The county looked at more than. Please write in "COVID-19 under the TEST REQUESTED section. . By Wednesday, it was 3,052, and 3,246 on Thursday. Honu is expected to ramp up its testing capability, and be able toperform anywhere from 1,000-4,000 tests statewide per day inplaceslikenursing homes andlong-term care facilities, adult foster care homes as well as prisons, jails and homeless shelters, food processing facilities and housing formigrant workers. Some of the questions now being asked about Honu Management stem from a KING 5 Investigation that aired in November. She specializes in data analysis. Sioux Nation is not the name of any federally recognized tribe and more than a dozen have Sioux in the name, according to the Indian Health Service. The number of active COVID cases has also continued to rise. Public health officials have said that without a vaccine or another shutdown, testing and contact tracing are among the most important strategies local governments can adopt in order to stem the spread of the virus. To make an appointment for a COVID test, call: 325-430-7603 or 325-643-3793. Honu is classified as a woman owned small business, recognized NAGC certified member, and registered GSA contractor (CAGE: 8LTV3, DUNS 117481755) that has worked to help provide patient centered services with a focus on care coordination, collaboration, and transparency in order to provide health care services with cost-effective solutions. Date of Birth. Honu began seeking publicly-funded testing contracts in the emerging world of COVID-19, stating the company could setup operations and deliver results faster than competitive bidders. He also reports on social justice issues and inequities. Honu, named for a Hawaiian green sea turtle, had a bumpy start in Texas. However, that information can be found on the DSHS website at the following link: https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/AdditionalData.aspx Neither the Department of Health, the 2-1-1 call center, nor the COVID-19 questions hotline are able to inform patients of their test results. Click here to read more from our partners at The Dallas Morning News. Audio Visual Fabrication Engineer. After doing business as DA Medical Group for over a decade, the company rebranded as Honu in January. You can also call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 or email us atCOVID19@michigan.gov. Visit our frequently asked questions page for our most commonly answered questions on COVID-19. The county also found that on average, it took residents 3.3 days to get their results from the University of Dallas. 3/1/2023. MANISTEE -- District Health Department #10 is hosting a COVID-19 testing clinic, in partnership with Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital and the City of Ludington, at the Harbor View Marina. ALLEGAN COUNTY The Allegan County Health Department will be holding a series of free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing events in November. Get immediate access to organizations and people in the DFW area that need your help or can provide help during the Coronavirus crisis. She specializes in data analysis. He told county commissioners Tuesday that his office was still reviewing the citys contract to determine if Honu met the terms of the agreement. People are friendly and accommodating! Absent a national testing program, state and local governments are taking on much of this crucial work themselves. ACCESS, Region 10, homebound; community mobile sites; shelters and vulnerable populations - $1,100,000. stay healthy! ", "As this virus has continued to spread and adapt so have we as a company and community health service provider," Thornton wrote in an email message to the Free Press. ABC House tests all 36 staff every Monday. The bid process, she explained, included questions about Honu's past performance and asked the company todisclose previousproblems that had reached a final conclusion. in the DFW area that need your help or can provide help during Anyone interested in donating or volunteering at the center can go to . Dallas County, meanwhile, has not paid any portion of its contract, said Darryl Martin, the countys administrator. Currently, HONU is located at one location - a State-owned parcel off of Middle Street, near the Nimitz Viaduct. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. 216 0 obj
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Please allow up to 30 days for DSHS to review and reply to your request. The Allegan County Health Department will hold drive-through events for residents to get tested for COVID-19 every Wednesday 1-7 p.m beginning Wednesday, Sept. 22. County officials said they believe the slowdown was driven by two factors: a delay in transporting the specimens from Dallas to the lab near Austin and a backup at the lab. In June, Honus laboratory partner in California returned false positives to nursing homes in Dallas County and other parts of Texas, state officials said, setting off a rush to isolate frail residents. It breaks my heart when people try to abuse the system that is designed for patient care, Thornton said. Antrim County was reporting 2,975 cases and 45 deaths while Charlevoix County had 3,180 cases and 45 deaths. When the tribe used the kits to test 61 frontline workers, over half came back positive, sending a panic through our tribe, health director Skyla Fast Horse said. Honus application also said another company called mLife helped gain White House approval for Honus coronavirus testing program. mLife Diagnostics President Hunt Allred said mLife sent Honus information to contacts in D.C., but isnt sure what happened from there. Jenkins toldThe Dallas Morning News onMonday that an internal investigation by the Dallas County health department revealedsamples collected at the Honu-run site was taking up to four days to reach a lab near Austin, delaying results up to seven days. Honu won the $14 million contract less than two months ago, but questions arose about test security and timeliness earlier this summer. The contract with Hanu is being cancelled. The contract with Hanu (sic) is being cancelled, Jenkins wrote. Martin said he would provide an update to commissioners next month. Records show state investigators discovered that the pharmacies sent patients boxes of foot creams, gels, adhesive patches and other medications, and overbilled patients insurance companies -- in one case, $50,000 for drugs that a patient was prescribed for toe pain and a plantar wart. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson launched an audit into how Honu won the multi-million dollar contract after a number of concerns were reported, including an unusually low positivity rate of 7 percent at Honus test site compared to much higher rates at others, like 17 percent positivity at Parklands test site. We want them to be accurate and timely, Jenkins said. The county also looked at nearly 1,600 results there. Ive always run the company kind of as a charity, Thornton said. Sutfin said the state will "carefully monitorHonus performance, including its timeliness, and take action if problems arise.