COVID-19: The canton of St. Gallen relies on Hirslanden's solution for the resumption of workplace testing

The COVID-19 virus is often transmitted by people without symptoms. These people can be identified via repeat testing, so allowing chains of infection to be interrupted early on. In addition, repetitive testing allows a reduction in quarantine times and thus the increased presence of employees in companies. In addition to compliance with hygiene and distance regulations, contact tracing and COVID-19 vaccination, repetitive testing is another way of monitoring and containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. For that purpose, Hirslanden has developed the IT and logistics platform «TOGETHER WE TEST», which coordinates all services with participating partner companies (laboratory institutes, logistics and material service providers) for carrying out regular PCR saliva tests.

The first tests will be carried out in the canton of St. Gallen towards the end of September. Repetitive testing is voluntary and free of charge for all companies and institutions and their employees. Interested companies can register on the canton's website from tomorrow, Wednesday.

St. Gallen is the tenth canton to commission the Hirslanden Group to conduct the repetitive tests. Some 6,000 companies, schools and organisations are currently using the «TOGETHER WE TEST» platform, which has already been used to evaluate more than 2 million tests.

About Hirslanden

The Hirslanden Group operates 17 hospitals in 10 cantons, many of which have an emergency department. It also operates 4 outpatient surgical units, 17 radiology institutes and 5 radiotherapy institutes. Together with public and private cooperation partners, Hirslanden focuses on the continuum of care and the promoting of high-quality, responsible, personalised and efficiently integrated healthcare.

The Hirslanden Group has 2 314 partner doctors and 10 711 employees, 479 of whom are permanently employed doctors. Hirslanden is the largest medical network in Switzerland. In the 2020/21 financial year, the Group generated turnover of CHF 1 796 million (incl. CHF 12.6 Mio. cantonal COVID-19 compensations). As at 31.3.2021, the Group had treated 107 401 patients, amounting to a total of 461 004 inpatient days. In insurance terms, the patient mix consists of 51% basic, 28.8% semi-private, and 20.2% private insured patients.

Hirslanden is synonymous with first-class medical care provided by highly qualified medical specialists with many years of experience. As a system provider, the Group stands out from the rest of the market: interdisciplinary medical centres of expertise and specialised institutes enable it to offer the best possible individualised treatment, even in highly complex cases. The Hirslanden Group was formed in 1990 through the merger of several hospitals. Since 2007, it has been part of the international hospital group Mediclinic International plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange.