Introducing COVID-Q
A Secure, Easy-to-manage Queue System for Drive-up COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19 news is everywhere, and most of it is not positive. After talking with a few of our healthcare clients, we saw a potential need for an easy-to-manage queue system for drive-up testing. We wanted to create something we could spin up quickly for anyone who needed it.
We’re calling it COVID-Q.
The Problems to Solve
First, we wanted to provide an easy way for people with symptoms to book appointments. But since testing capacity is limited, we needed a way to limit those who do not have an appointment.
Second, we wanted to provide an easy workflow for workers on-site at a testing location. Through a simple admin page, they can confirm patients as they arrive.
The Solution
The basic workflow we’ve created looks like this:
- Create the Site
After talking with an interested company, Echobind will help spin up a new site on any domain/subdomain you choose. We’ve created a way to do this quickly and can have everything ready within a few hours. The base site includes a web site, API, and admin section for managing locations.
2. Customize the Site
Locations, FAQ, and contact information are added to the admin section. Location details include name, logo, location, opening and closing hours, the length of appointment slots, and a customizable section on the homepage.
3. Generate Tokens
A set of security tokens is generated for use in the API. (For the uninitiated, the API or Application Programming Interface is the mechanism by which the app retrieves its data.)
4. Contact for Screening
A potential patient visits the company’s new scheduling site, and after reading the custom home page content, they are directed to contact the company to get a token.
5. Hand out a Token
The company should provide adequate screening, and if it is determined the patient should be tested, they are provided with a token that will allow them to register and book an appointment. The admin marks the token as used.
6. Book the Appointment
The patient chooses a time that works well for them and enters their basic information (name, email, phone) and vehicle information (make, model, color, and license plate).
7. Verify the car and Patient On-site
A worker matches a vehicle and name with booked appointments for the time slot. If those match, they are marked as “checked in” and can proceed with testing.
Questions and Answers
How can I customize the branding?
We will give you the code and walk you through it. We can also do everything on your behalf. Most customization involves updating a few simple configuration files and setting proper values in the CMS.
Is the data secure?
You bring your own database to this app, which means you own the data. The CMS stores information about Drive-up Locations, opening hours, FAQ content, and the custom content at the top of the page. User information, appointments, and vehicle information are all stored in a database you control.
This is a great idea, but I need a lot more customizations for my organization.
Send us a note at hi@echobind.com! We’d be happy to talk through options and how we can make it work for your use case.
Can you build me something different?
Of course. Our team is one of the most experienced agencies you’ll come across looking for healthcare software solutions.
The Technology
If you’re curious how we built COVID-Q and the technology we used to do it, we’ll be publishing a technical post later this week.
The Future
We’ll be open-sourcing everything relatively soon. Anyone will be able to spin up their own version of the COVID-Q app, or we can help you get it all going. We also hope there will be learnings for other developers.
To learn more, visit the official COVID-Q website:
COVID-Q: https://covidq.app
Please reach out at hi@echobind.com and we’ll get you set up.
More than anything, we want this to be used as a way to help others. If there’s a way to do that we’re not thinking of here please reach out and let us know!
Contributor's Bio
Chris Ball is the CTO of Echobind, a full-service agency specializing in custom web and mobile apps. When he’s not helping developers grow or creating amazing things for clients, you’re likely to find him playing music, cycling, or camping.
