COVID-19 Testing Sample Acquisition Throughput and Efficiency (HexapodBooth)
![]() |
The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04532411 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : August 31, 2020
Last Update Posted : February 24, 2021
|
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
SARS-CoV Infection Respiratory Viral Infection Personal Protective Equipment Covid19 | Other: Personal Protective Testing Booth |
Beginning in March 2020, the MGH began outpatient testing for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) utilizing a provider-administered nasal swab samples. This was administered with infection control protocols utilizing full PPE protection for health providers who would don and doff gowns and gloves with each sample acquisition. With an aim to decrease PPE usage and increase efficiency, personal protective booths with HEPA-filtered air called "Hexapods" were employed, after infection control approval, within the MGH system beginning on April 16, 2020.
Ambulatory Care Management at MGH systematically monitors testing completed and PPE usage on a weekly basis. Managers in charge of personnel changes shared necessary team structures and median salaries for different personnel involved with sample acquisition. MGH Materials management were able to report on costs related to consumable supplies used during testing.
In this investigation, this routinely collected data and averaged timed sample collection observations were used to compare before and after the Hexapod utilization.
Study Type : | Observational |
Actual Enrollment : | 28948 participants |
Observational Model: | Other |
Time Perspective: | Other |
Official Title: | Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 Sample Acquisition Efficiency and PPE Usage With and Without the Hexapod Personal Protective Booth |
Actual Study Start Date : | March 1, 2020 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | September 30, 2020 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | September 30, 2020 |

Group/Cohort | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Pre-Booth Testing
This cohort was comprised of samples acquired as a component of outpatient SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing prior to implementation of the Hexapod personal protective booths.
|
|
Post-Booth Testing
This cohort was comprised of samples acquired as a component of outpatient SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing after implementation of the Hexapod personal protective booths.
|
Other: Personal Protective Testing Booth
Health personnel who utilize the Hexapod will remain in the booth and utilize durable gloves attached to ports through a plexiglass wall in order to administer a nasal swab for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing. Patient escorts and housekeeping/sanitation staff perform additional tasks outside of the booth such as escorting the patient to the correct testing bay and dropping off testing vials and printed information, collect samples and deposit in the appropriate location after testing is complete, and sanitizing the patient bay before a subsequent patient is tested there.
Other Names:
|
- Change in Testing Throughput After Hexapod Implementation [ Time Frame: Up to 22 weeks ]Samples acquired per hour using the Hexapod booth will be assessed as an average over a minimum of 12 weeks of testing compared to baseline throughput before April 16th.
- Change in Isolation Gowns Utilized After Hexapod Utilization [ Time Frame: Up to 22 weeks ]Gowns utilized per test will be assessed as an average over a minimum of 12 weeks of testing compared to baseline throughput before April 16th.
- Change in Cost per Test After Hexapod Implementation [ Time Frame: Up to 22 weeks ]The difference in costs of collecting test samples before and after hexapod utilization will be calculated.
- Return on Investment [ Time Frame: Up to 22 weeks ]The retail cost of the Hexapod booth will be divided by the average daily cost differential for testing observed and at maximum volume.
- Change in Testing Personnel Cost Per Test [ Time Frame: Up to 22 weeks ]The difference in median shift salaries before and after Hexapod implementation will be calculated.
- Change in Cost of Isolation Gowns Utilized [ Time Frame: Up to 22 weeks ]Outcome 2 will be utilized to calculate the range of the change in cost of isolation gowns utilized compared to baseline usage for samples acquired before April 16th utilizing actual and quoted costs of gowns to Materials Management at MGH.
- Cost of Additional Consumable Supplies Utilized [ Time Frame: Up to 22 weeks ]The Materials Management costs of durable gloves, sleeves, and filters will be be calculated from the manufacturer's recommended monthly replacements of each per booth.

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | Child, Adult, Older Adult |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Sampling Method: | Probability Sample |
Inclusion Criteria:
- All testing performed at designated outpatient SARS-CoV-2 at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) testing sites beginning March 2019.
Exclusion Criteria:
- SARS-CoV-2 tests performed not performed within designated outpatient testing sites at MGH.
- Testing performed within the hospital for Emergency Department or Inpatient visits.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04532411
United States, Massachusetts | |
Massachusetts General Hospital | |
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02114 |
Responsible Party: | Kristian R. Olson, M.D., Director, MGH Springboard Studio, Massachusetts General Hospital |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04532411 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
QI Initiative |
First Posted: | August 31, 2020 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | February 24, 2021 |
Last Verified: | February 2021 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Plan Description: | There is no IPD collected as a part of this investigation. |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
SARS-CoV Infection Test Sample Acquisition Personal Protective Equipment Personal Protective Booths COVID19 |
Infections Communicable Diseases COVID-19 Virus Diseases Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Disease Attributes Pathologic Processes Respiratory Tract Infections |
Pneumonia, Viral Pneumonia Coronavirus Infections Coronaviridae Infections Nidovirales Infections RNA Virus Infections Lung Diseases Respiratory Tract Diseases |