Five Questions With: Connor Fitzpatrick on the CrowdRx Coronavirus Response

Large-scale gatherings in need of medical support have relied on CrowdRx for staff, facilities and logistical support since 1989. The CrowdRx team of emergency physicians and public safety experts prescribe and deliver medical services for large gatherings throughout the U.S.

While concerts, sporting events and mass gatherings have been shuttered across the world in light of the coronavirus outbreak, an overtaxed healthcare system is struggling to keep up with the demand caused by the pandemic, a problem exacerbated by healthcare workers under quarantine due to suspected contact with persons infected with the virus. So CrowdRx is shifting its resources and leveraging its event medical expertise to respond to this new and unprecedented challenge—including launching a non-contact fever detection system and announcing a nationwide call for emergency medical workers to deploy to locations of high demand.

We caught up with CrowdRx Executive Director Connor Fitzpatrick to learn more about what’s happening at CrowdRx in light of the current coronavirus pandemic.

EMS World: Tell us about the new fever screening technology developed by CrowdRx and why it’s so critical right now.

Fitzpatrick: The CrowdRx Fever, Coronavirus, Flu, and Ebola Screening System is a portable, rapidly deployable thermal imaging fever screening system used as a first-level mass screening test for accurately identifying individuals that have an above-normal body temperature and have a systemic fever. The system can detect fevers at large-scale public gatherings, including conventions and major events. The current interest in our system of course is that these individuals may be suffering from coronavirus, Ebola, norovirus, and SARS, as well as the common flu and variants such as avian flu, bird and swine flu, etc.

What happens if a fever is detected?

It’s really up to the individual venue, business or governing authority how they want to handle it. That person might be notified that they are exhibiting signs of a fever and may want to follow up with a medical provider, who may be right there on site. Other institutions might have rules in place banning the person from entering. It’s important to add that non-contact fever screening isn’t guaranteed to catch every person with coronavirus, but it’s one more tool we have in the effort to contain it.

What is the current demand for these systems and where are they being deployed?

I can’t speak to specific installations in light of the fact that thermal screening is being used in highly sensitive locations such as airports, mobile healthcare installations, large employers and government institutions. What I can tell you is that thermal fever screening at airports and transportation centers is going on. The phones are ringing off the hook here as businesses and municipal agencies are in a rush to bring these systems on board.

How else is CrowdRx positioned to assist in the COVID-19 effort?

Our RAMPART mobile emergency room can be mobilized to serve as a quickly deployable treatment center in major outbreak sites, testing outposts and areas of quarantine. We’re seeing that hospitals and medical centers are being overrun in places and there is a shortage of beds and equipment to treat the critically ill. Mobile ERs can serve as a self-sustaining, controlled environment that can be set up quickly and remain on site for weeks or months.

How else is CrowdRx mobilizing assets in response to the coronavirus pandemic?

We just announced a nationwide emergency recruitment initiative to send qualified healthcare professionals to areas of greatest need. We are currently recruiting EMTs, paramedics and registered nurses. This is a potential 14-day deployment to staff temporary medical services for COVID-19 surge capacity nationwide. Should activation occur, pre-screened applicants will be engaged to report for duty at various locations across the country. We are looking for licensed EMS providers and nurses with a range of backgrounds and we encourage anyone interested to contact us for more information.

Please apply for a deployment position here.

Jonathan Bassett is the editorial director of EMS World. Reach him at jon@emsworld.com.