Sonic Healthcare USA Hosts U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary to Highlight Innovations in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Austin, TX – May 26, 2020
Sonic Healthcare USA's Bernhardt Laboratories, located in Jacksonville, Florida, hosted U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at their facility last week. Bernhardt Laboratories is an anatomic pathology provider specializing in women's health, dermatopathology, and molecular pathology. Bernhardt Laboratories significantly changed its operations to mitigate supply chain challenges for Sonic Healthcare USA's COVID-19 testing initiative.
Over the last few months, Sonic Healthcare USA has been one of the leading commercial laboratories who, as a member of the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA), has assisted in the response for COVID-19, in close coordination with the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Sonic Healthcare USA has also worked closely with our scientific experts and medical and operational leadership to bring up multiple platforms to ensure testing access for patients. As of March 10, 2020, Sonic Healthcare USA launched molecular testing for COVID-19 and is performing over twenty thousand tests per day at our clinical laboratories. On April 21, 2020, we launched COVID-19 antibody testing to complement our existing molecular PCR testing.
"It was an honor hosting Secretary Azar to discuss and showcase the strategies we have employed to ensure testing access and timely result delivery for our patients," said Dr. Phil Chen, MD, PhD, the Chief Strategy Officer and Head of the COVID-19 Taskforce at Sonic Healthcare USA. "Secretary Azar was very informative and gracious during his visit by offering us access to explore automated technologies and associated financial support, to further expand testing capacity," added Dr. Chen.
"It is incredibly important that we continue to partner with governmental agencies aligning resources and approaches as we manage through the COVID-19 pandemic together. We are grateful to Secretary Azar for his leadership and support," said Dr. Jerry Hussong, MD, MBA, the Chief Executive Officer of Sonic Healthcare USA.
About Sonic Healthcare USA
Sonic Healthcare USA is a subsidiary of Sonic Healthcare Limited, one of the world's largest medical diagnostic companies, providing laboratory services to medical practitioners, hospitals and community health services, with operations in eight countries, on three continents and providing care to over 100 million patients each year. Sonic Healthcare USA is a leading provider of state-of-the-art laboratory services and pathology practices throughout the USA with nine operating divisions and nearly eight thousand US-based employees. Sonic Healthcare USA utilizes a federated business model that emphasizes medical leadership and community-based testing services to provide outstanding quality and service to the doctors and patients that they serve. For more information, visit the Sonic Healthcare website at www.sonichealthcareusa.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Sonic Healthcare USA
Dr. Phil Chen, MD, PhD
Chief Strategy Officer
512.439.1653