By Aine Cryts
The FDA on March 16 issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) to Hologic for the company’s Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2 Assay.
“We feel strongly that it’s our collective responsibility to all do our part in reducing the spread of COVID-19,” Michael Stow, vice president of global marketing for breast and skeletal health, told AXIS Imaging News. The Marlborough, Mass-based technology company’s “priority is the health and well-being of those around the world,” Stow adds. “That includes our employees, families, customers, and the patients they serve.”
During the pandemic, Hologic has transitioned to providing “best-in-class support for customers who are providing critical healthcare services during this unprecedented time—via phone, email, social media, and other online tools whenever possible,” says Stow. For example, Hologic is providing protocols for properly cleaning and disinfecting its mammography systems.
AXIS Imaging News recently discussed with Stow Hologic’s communication to clients about its business-continuity plans, in addition to ways the company can help support its customers. Here is a lightly edited version of that conversation.
AXIS Imaging News: What are you communicating about Hologic’s business-continuity plans and ways you can help hospital customers?
Michael Stow: In our efforts to practice social distancing and reduce the spread of COVID-19, we have encouraged all employees to cancel or postpone nonessential travel and work from home whenever possible. Aside from the virtual tools we continue to share with customers to help support them remotely, such as our upcoming Genius Session webinar, we aim to offer more solutions for telemedicine or teleradiology during this time.
Additionally, many Hologic employees are providing critical services, from developing and ensuring access to Hologic’s new SARS-CoV-2 assay to supporting customers who are still providing essential healthcare to patients. We’re offering ongoing guidance and resources to all employees—and especially those on the front lines—to mitigate the spread of illness while maintaining critical business operations.
AXIS: What means are you using to communicate with customers?
Stow: Hologic is currently communicating via email, phone, and social media with our customers and employees across the globe. We’re actively identifying new virtual vehicles to continue providing remote-learning opportunities for customers, in addition to the online resources that are already available. While communications and workflow have shifted to a virtual setting, Hologic is committed to continuing to deliver the same best-in-class service customers have come to expect from the company.
AXIS: How often are you communicating with clients? When did you start?
Stow: Hologic has been monitoring the coronavirus pandemic since its initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, and has been communicating regularly with customers and employees, as appropriate based on roles, location, and impact.
AXIS: Why are you doing this? Arguably, it takes your teams away from other vital work.
Stow: At Hologic, our daily purpose is to enable healthier lives everywhere, every day. Today, that means doing our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 across the globe through social distancing, remote-working protocols, and developing and providing access to better testing for COVID-19.
On March 16, our Diagnostics Division received emergency use authorization from the FDA to deliver a high-throughput test for detecting COVID-19 to our laboratory partners. We’re in the process of deploying that test across the United States. Hologic is dedicated to keeping our customers and the broader community informed of this activity, as well as all other activities that aim to keep our communities safe and healthy during this unprecedented time.
Read more about the Hologic EUA from the FDA.
