City representatives had previously said publicly that Honu was meeting the terms of its contract. 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. Rock Island, IL. Thats raising questions about why Washington state did not warn other states about the companys officers, who are linked to a long-running health care fraud investigation by the Washington State Department of Health. endstream endobj 1024 0 obj <>/Metadata 89 0 R/OCProperties<>/OCGs[1043 0 R]>>/Outlines 126 0 R/PageLayout/SinglePage/Pages 1017 0 R/StructTreeRoot 171 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 1025 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/Properties<>/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 1026 0 obj <>stream The city says it promised a 72-hour test result turnaround time. The newspaper reports the decision confirmed by a spokesman for Mayor Eric Johnson came after city and county officials began investigating Honu Management Groups performance and how it won the $14 million contract when it began running a drive through testing site July 1 in Irving. ALLEGAN COUNTY The Allegan County Health Department will be holding a series of free, drive-thru COVID-19 testing events in November. Antrim County was reporting 2,975 cases and 45 deaths while Charlevoix County had 3,180 cases and 45 deaths. Dallas, Texas 75201. Full COVID-19 vaccination is an essential job function of this role. Nearly 13,000 COVID cases had been reported in St. Clair County, with 275 deaths and 3,936 active . Honu promised results within 72 hours. In August, the testing site relocated to Eastfield College in Mesquite. We do not make unsubstantiated claims or exaggerations, Thornton said in an email. Texas became the fourth state to surpass 10,000 deaths on Monday, joining New Jersey, New York, and California. COVID-19 test, her result is negative. After relying on the company to run tests, Texas has now put Honu in charge of test sites in rural parts of the state, a job previously handled by the Texas National Guard, and in Dallas and El Paso. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Honubeatout four othercompanies for the deal: CVS Pharmacy, Inc.; AKESOgen,Inc.;Premier Medical Laboratory Services, Inc., andATC Healthcare Services, LLC. Dallas County Commissioners used money from the federal CARES Act to pay Honu because it was taking too long for the federally-run site to get test results back. 247 0 obj <>stream All rights reserved. In the last week, Honu alsoconducted coronavirus testing atHealthSource Saginaw, Sutfin said. He told county commissioners Tuesday that his office was still reviewing the citys contract to determine if Honu met the terms of the agreement. Currently, HONU is located at one location - a State-owned parcel off of Middle Street, near the Nimitz Viaduct. Thornton said the company's "guiding principles" are compliance, reliability and transparency. The site moved this week to Dallas College Eastfield Campus. The company offered Ed Anderson, the owner of an El Paso construction company. It moved this month to Eastfield College in Mesquite. People getting tested in Dallas are waiting longer to get their results, despite a 40 percent drop in people getting tested. This was in partnership with the National Guard, HONU Management Group, and the city of Detroit. June 28, 2021 1023 0 obj <> endobj Get immediate access to organizations and people in the DFW area that need your help or can provide help during the Coronavirus crisis. We work in healthcare to make a difference, and we do it to provide a service the best we can to all people affected during these times.. Nic Garcia, Senior writer. 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. A new internal report by Dallas County's health department obtained by The News found that wait times for results from local Honu sites have increased markedly. HONU Management Group and Ann Arbor Public Schools. Parkland Health and Hospital System will take over Honus testing sites at the end of the month. Holly K. Hacker. undefined mi away Get Directions Insurance information unknown Antibody, Antigen View Details Fast Track Immediate Care 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. Franciscan Urgent Care - Puyallup. Galapagos Federal Systems, LLC. Ive always run the company kind of as a charity, Thornton said. Copyright 2023, D Magazine Partners, Inc. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. As of Nov. 30, Otsego County had 3,947 COVID-19 cases and 67 deaths from the disease. After waiting 10 days for an inconclusive test result, shes still not sure if she had the virus. Dallas County Commissioners used money from the federal CARES Act to pay Honu because it was taking too long for the federally-run site to get test results back. Some of the questions now being asked about Honu Management stem from a KING 5 Investigation that aired in November. Holly works on the investigations team after many years covering education for The Dallas Morning News. Finally, the Honu Management Group, conducts COVID testing and provides weekly access to COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots. People can request an appointment by calling or texting 888-776-5252, or visiting mdmedicalgroup.us. Honu promised results within 72 hours. "Honu scored the highest during a Joint Evaluation Committee evaluation of proposals from the five bidders and it was determined that they met the requirements," Sutfin said. Since the first report of a cluster of cases of acute respiratory illness in China, the current coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) has spread globally exacting a huge toll on individuals, families, communities, and societies across the world, resulting in a World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of a pandemic 1, 2.The COVID-19 response has highlighted the need for a . Dallas County health officials are looking into why 7% of people tested positive at the site in July, compared to 17% at testing locations run by Parkland Hospital. Dr. No appointments are needed, and those seeking assistance with test results can email Covid19Help@honumg.com or call 1-844-778-2455. The other fairgrounds testing site managed by the county's Department of Emergency Management at the Gold Lot runs through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. . 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. There's a new coronavirus-testing company in town, and it isn't Honu Management Group. Once the site moved to Eastfield College in August, that time jumped to 6.1 days. Hacker, who was researching the startup company that was receiving up to $14 million from Dallas and $17 million more from the Texas Division of Emergency Management, found Honus connection to the Washington state investigation after viewing the KING 5 story online. Why isnt anybody taking the initiative to say something or do something (about this company), she said. Honu Management Group, statewide, homebound; community mobile sites; neighborhood testing sites; seasonal agriculture; and shelters and vulnerable populations - $20,000,000. Honu Management Group started administering tests at Eastfield College in Mesquite earlier this month. Every single penny I have ever made in this company has always gone back into healthcare, whether thats supporting clinics, or supporting patients or getting patients treated at the lowest possible cost. Instead, the average wait for test results from Dallas public testing sites is six days, according to the county. The county also looked at nearly 1,600 results there. 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. Previously Holly reported for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Ventura County (Calif.) Star and the Antioch (Calif.) Ledger Dispatch. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has reported 787 new COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths on Tuesday, though 550 of them are backlogged cases from earlier this year. 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. Through this initiative, 66 churches throughout the Metro Detroit area became COVID-19 vaccine . Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus. Working with the Indian Health Service. Many governments are turning to emergency procurements in the scramble to provide crucial services and goods related to the pandemic like testing supplies and protective gear. Has bidder ever been debarred, suspended, or disqualified from bidding or contracting with any entity, including the state of Michigan? Both the city and county of Dallas have ended their contract with embattled Honu Management Group, which ran the largest public COVID-19 testing site, The Dallas Morning Newsreports. Dressed in black scrubs and orange Nikes, Thornton talked of how he grew up in Hawaii, ended up in Washington state and went from working in medical sales to forming his own healthcare management company in 2008. It made us ask more questions about just who is this company? Hacker said. Recovery Mobile Clinic, Regions 9 and 10, community mobile sites; and shelters and vulnerable populations - $1,400,000. A spokesman for Mayor Eric Johnson confirmed the change. The CAPA/IAPA expert group defined 14 areas in which recommendations would be made. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. The county looked at more than 12,000 test results from Honu sites in the Dallas area over six weeks in July and August. For now, Honu is still free to vie for millions of dollars in COVID testing contracts. COVID-19 has resulted in the increased use of distance learning around the world. He previously worked at The Denver Post covering the statehouse and two presidential campaigns. Please write in "COVID-19 under the TEST REQUESTED section. To make an appointment for a COVID test, call: 325-430-7603 or 325-643-3793. We asked around if the residents have any complaints about their city, they said, "there is none!" The latest Tweets from Honu MG (@HonuMg). A Dallas Morning News investigation earlier this month found that the city missed potential warning flags in Honus application. 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. But last week, Dallas County canceled its contract with Honu for COVID-19 testing because officials said test results were taking as long asseven days to come back. The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has more information at a federal level about COVID-19 and our current pandemic. Yes Skip to content HomeHomeHome, current page. "Honu shadowed the National Guard at some testing events in early August," said Lynn Sutfin, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Anyone interested in donating or volunteering at the center can go to . I think its all a money grab, regardless of the interest of the general public, said Vanessa Izquierdo of Dallas. 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. Martin said he would provide an update to commissioners next month. For questions on test. Conventional diagnostic tests for the novel coronavirus may give false-negative results about 30% of the time, meaning people with an active COVID-19 infection still test negative for the disease . "All state contracts include clauses that allow for separation for cause or convenience," she said, "and MDHHS will carefully monitor Honus performance, including its timeliness, and take action if problems arise.". KING 5s investigation revealed a three-year probe by the Washington State Department of Health that accuses Thornton and others at DA Medical of orchestrating a kickback scheme to bilk insurance companies. Contractors will be required to schedule appointments and manage all logistics involved in providing mobile vaccinations. The city and county of Dallas also wanted a company that could quickly process a high volume of tests, after frustrations with the federally supported sites, which officials said were taking up to 10 days to return results. A whistleblower alleged in 2017 that DA Medical Group representatives, including Thornton, had proposed a business arrangement: the doctors would receive a rebate for having patients prescriptions filled by Oregon pharmacies, according to Washington state investigative records obtained by The News. Honu also has an agreement with the Texas Division of Emergency Management to provide testing at numerous sites around the state, including one at Mountain View College in Dallas. Thornton told The News there was no kickback scheme. ", "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. "This is part of the state's efforts to bring vaccine into communities and to vaccinate as many Michiganders as possible. I dont understand. Results . We want them to be accurate and timely, Jenkins said. By Wednesday, it was 3,052, and 3,246 on Thursday. Hours. Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or kshamus@freepress.com. Last week, The Big Bend Sentinel reported that the Washington State-based company was taking over testing sites from the National Guard after scoring a contract from the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The newspaper reports the decision confirmed by a spokesman for Mayor Eric Johnson came after city and county officials began investigating Honu Management Group's performance and how it. 3/1/2023. More:Coronavirus Watch: Change is happening. 235 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<8763DAC2B36949EDBEB7040E1499219C><09BE46F66F2F17459397F1020D978FC3>]/Index[216 32]/Info 215 0 R/Length 95/Prev 52306/Root 217 0 R/Size 248/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream You could have gotten them there faster in a backpack on a bicycle than they were getting them there, Jenkins said. Parkland will send the samples to ARUP Laboratories, the same private lab it uses for its other testing sites, Parkland officials said Tuesday. Include (1) a copy of your current and valid government-issued photo ID, and (2) any other documents needed. Does that mean Honu is free to operate, unregulated? "We welcome the audits as an opportunity to affirm who we are as a company.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Introduction. . For questions about test results, call 800-402-0000 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (EST) Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (EST) Saturday. In May, the city asked Honu for additional references to show the company could handle a bigger job, Thornton said. Augusta, GA. 3/1/2023. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says Hony, the private company hired for millions of dollars to run testing at one site, was taking three days just to get tests to a lab in Austin for processing. The city said Honu is meeting the obligations of the contract, including turning around test results quickly. By the fourth week, that jumped to eight days on average. In Sanilac County, there were 2,762 total cases or 307 new. Drive-through. The department has not issued any charges and the case remains open. Sutfin said the state "closely monitors lab turnaround time and will do so in this case as well, as testing with Honu ramps up.". It isn't clear how long these effects might last. Honus CEO, Devin Thornton, said his company is highly qualified and that its references had no conflicts of interest. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. After learning of the states investigation involving tests results from Honus lab partner, The News began looking into the company. She previously worked for the San Antonio Express-News and in New Hampshire, as the statehouse reporter for the Concord Monitor. Log in with your date of birth to view your test results. 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. Clinicas Mi Doctor and MD Kids Pediatrics, two Houston MD Medical Group clinics, offer drive-thru COVID-19 testing by appointment. 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. Our company has and will always operate with the utmost compliance to both federal and state regulations, he said. Or, for all other COVID-19 questions or concerns, call 88-217-3904, email covid@dhd10.org or visit www.dhd10.org/schedule.. It was interesting. The department is partnering with HONU Management . With the advancement of information technology, traditional classroom teaching has gradually integrated the Internet and distance learning methods. Testing for a national. The Indian Health Service then retested the same 61 people and all results were negative, he said. It wasn't until six weeks into its contract with the state of Michigan, that Honu began testing people here. An agency spokesman did not return requests from The News on Tuesday seeking comment about the status of the contracts. the Coronavirus crisis. Honu also would be "responsible for rapid response when outbreaks occur.". Some testing sites have arranged to work with laboratories to create patient portals that allow people who have been tested to look up their results online ( BioReference, LabCorp, Quest ). Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112. In Dallas, Texas officials "paused" a $14 million testing contract with Honu Management, of Spokane Valley, after the company failed to meet its contract requirement to turn around test. Honus CEO said the company was truthful in the application. The city and county of Dallas end their $14 million contract with Honu Management Group, who ran COVID-19 testing sites. 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. Garcia is a Colorado native who joined The Dallas Morning News in 2019. Get Results with . 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 will get residents fast,accurate results. Only 237 of the reported new cases are from recent testing. Anderson confirmed Honu did perform the work, including sending staff to Andersons business to test employees. At a meeting Tuesday, county commissioners raised concern with lack of oversight. There was tremendous increase in the number of cases of mucormycosis among patients affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the second wave of pandemic in South Asian countries. 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. Embedded Tech For Above Baseline IT Tech Support. As part of their contracts, these vendors are to relay test results to the individuals who were tested within 48-72 hours, and if there is a consistent delay in that turnaround time, the vendors are to quickly notify DHEC. COVID-19 vaccination data reporting has been discontinued on the Texas DSHS dashboard. Dallas County started investigating the problem after FOX 4 reported last week that father and son, Cliff and Chris Cozby, waited more than a week to get results from the Honu site. 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. Eight billboards display photos from Weems archive along with English and Spanish messages about the virus, KERA reports. %%EOF 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? The city and county are splitting the cost of the contract. The state of Michigan signed a $42 million contractin July with aCOVID-19 testing companythat is under scrutiny in Texas for returning test results too slowly, and is accused of providingunreliabletest results to a South Dakota native American tribe. Experts say that current death counts are bound to be an undercount because of insufficient testing at the beginning of the pandemic. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has awarded nearly $60 million in contracts to promote COVID-19 vaccination among high risk populations. Suite 2100 Healthcare is not something we take lightly. 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. In seeking a contractor, city officials bypassed the usual competitive bidding rules. A new internal report by Dallas Countys health department obtained by The News found that wait times for results from local Honu sites have increased markedly. Testing is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the following dates and locations: For assistance regarding rural test results email help@txcovidtest.org or call 1 (833)213-0643. And any stamp of White House approval seems to have never materialized. Honu won the contract through a competitive bidding process run through the state Department of Technology, Management and Budget, Sutfin said. Rocky Vaz, the citys director of emergency management, on Monday notified Honu Management Group that the city wanted the Washington state-based company to suspend testing Aug. 28. Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visitMichigan.gov/COVIDvaccine. ", More:State fines United Shore, 5 other businesses for coronavirus-related violations. receive a COVID-19 rapid PCR test. 0 Mail or fax your completed Authorization to Release Laboratory Results form (PDF 63kb). Parkland Health & Hospital System will take over coordinating local testing, Jenkins announced on Twitter by sharing an article from The Dallas Morning News. After the Dallas Morning News articles, the mayor of Dallas called for an audit into how the Honu contract was awarded. %%EOF hbbd```b``d7X "c"Ac ;?H2x`sl Students need to be able to learn on their own in a distance learning environment, so their ability to self-regulate their learning in a distance learning environment . If yes, provide the date, the entity, and details about the situation. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For additional. Vaz, the city emergency director, said no such disclosure was made during the reference-checking process, and only came to light after The News asked about it.