A pandemic-driven need to protect vendor representatives who serve hospitals nationwide resulted in Global Health Exchange, LLC (GHX) and Mobile Health collaborating to simplify reps’ access to the OSHA-mandated Respirator Fit Test.
Now, when vendor representatives log in to the GHX Vendormate credentialing system, they can directly schedule a Respirator Fit Test at any of Mobile Health’s 2,700+ network locations nationwide.
The collaboration simplifies Respirator Fit Test scheduling for its vendor representatives while extending Mobile Health’s expertise to GHX’s network of more than 6,500 healthcare facilities.
Pandemic Prioritizes Respirator Fit Tests
GHX leads the market in vendor credentialing, the process vendor representatives must undergo to be admitted to a healthcare facility. Since COVID-19 rewrote safety guidelines for hospital access, vendor representatives face stricter personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, including the donning of N95 respirator masks.
OSHA requires the 15-minute Respirator Fit Test for most N95 wearers to confirm its correct fit and seal. A properly fitted respirator helps protect the worker from most airborne contaminants, including the virus that causes COVID-19.
This year alone, Mobile Health has conducted more than 30,000 Respirator Fit Tests for healthcare and essential workers, a number largely driven by the pandemic.
According to Joshua Tait, Vice President of Sales, GHX, “It quickly became obvious that Mobile Health grasped the hospital access challenges vendor representatives faced and had a vision for addressing them.” Tait’s outreach to Mobile Health ultimately led to a collaboration, resulting in the addition of the Mobile Health Respirator Fit Test scheduling link on Vendormate.
Following a Mobile Health Respirator Fit Test, vendor representatives receive same- or next-day test results they can upload to Vendormate to attest they have completed the procedure.
Mutually Beneficial Collaboration
Both organizations view the collaboration as a win-win. “We’re excited to collaborate with a premier provider in the credentialing landscape,” said Mobile Health Chief Sales Officer James Anderson.
At the same time, GHX, which manages the largest hospital and healthcare facility network of any credentialing company, enhances safety and compliance for its hospitals and more than 240,000 active vendor representatives by providing integrated access to Mobile Health Respirator Fit Tests. Vendor representatives can determine if they are required to wear an N95 mask (and need a Respirator Fit Test) when visiting a facility and take simple steps to comply.
“This collaboration drives value for our suppliers and solves an important healthcare need right now on both the provider and supplier side,” noted Chrystie Leonard, General Manager, Credentialing and Managed Services, GHX.
According to an analysis of GHX data, vendor representative visits to hospitals dropped by 86 percent at the pandemic’s lowest point, explained Leonard, but have slowly resumed.
“Mobile Health has always been deeply committed to workplace safety and there has never been a more critical time for this collaboration,” agreed Mobile Health CEO Andrew Shulman. “This relationship with GHX extends our ability to deliver on our commitment.”
Looking Ahead
While the initiative focuses on Respirator Fit Tests, both companies said they are open to broadening the collaboration to ease access to other Mobile Health occupational health services. Ultimately, the collaboration supports a mutual goal: simplifying processes and enhancing healthcare workplace safety.
Collaborate Today
Contact Mobile Health for opportunities to integrate the scheduling of occupational health services into your business operations, including COVID-19 screening and testing, drug testing, vaccinations and employee physicals.
Tags: collaboration, GHX, hospital vendors, Respirator Fit Test
