Andrew Morton is a seasoned global technology executive with a track record of successfully building and running innovative companies. Morton was SVP Global Sales for Zodiac Interactive, a private equity held software company focused on advanced software for Tier 1 Cable and Telecom providers. He headed up Broadband TV for Entone where he launched successful operations on multiple continents. Entone was acquired by Amino Communications LON AMO where he served for several years post transaction on the senior executive team, Morton co-launched global operations for Comtrend Corporation, a leader in telecom hardware and software. Earlier in his career, he held growth roles at 3Com and at IBM spinoff company Lexmark.
What led you to Bloom Health Partners?
I spent the last 20+ years in the tech industry building businesses focused on disruptive and innovative technologies on a global scale. I started my career at well-known large tech corporates and went out on my own in 2001 where I helped launch a company that successfully sold integrated systems to large global internet service providers. We helped define markets and successfully launch many telecom industry firsts in broadband connectivity and software management. I was later involved in a software start up where we developed a software platform that included some of the first remote health technologies linking devices and patient wellness with a big data platform. In the last decade I helped grow (and sell) a company in the streaming video market. We were part of a wave that disrupted the traditional Pay-TV business by creating a platform that blended broadcast TV streaming platforms like Youtube on a single TV interface for subscribers.
When the Pandemic hit us in early 2020, organizations had to shut down while access to healthcare suddenly became a challenge. Our health care systems weren’t prepared to deal with the scenario with the high-volume needs of individuals and organizations. COVID testing demands far exceeded lab capacities at the time. A need for innovation in healthcare and ways it gets delivered was exposed. Bloom brings innovation with an approach that combines best in class clinical practices with a digital platform and flexibility that work within our clients’ operations to keep them running. This same approach will carry over into full occupational health services for our clients’ needs for employees long after the pandemic has run its course.
Bloom launched about a year and a half ago in the heart of the pandemic. Tell us more.
The shortage of lab capacity in the system was apparent. Lineups for testing for people were hours long with results taking multiple days. The founders of Bloom set up the first drive through testing area in a parking lot in Houston that was across the street from one of the largest medical centers in the country. We saw new needs for testing couldn’t be efficiently served by the established system before Bloom’s first pop-up testing was set up there. That operation quickly grew into a more complex, dynamic testing system where we set up on location testing for organizations such as film/TV productions, sporting events and Fortune 500 companies.
What is a Bloom Mobile Lab?
We can build out and staff a mobile lab for your production site in 3 weeks. These mobile laboratories are completely customized to the scale the site’s needed throughput. We work directly with your production team to provide the communication they need. These labs are a critical component to the safety for the cast and crew.
Tell us about Bloom Health Partners and the services that you provide.
Bloom Health Partners is an Occupational Health-Tech provider that runs an end-to-end process that encompasses point of care, laboratories, and a digital platform. We provide onsite screening and test services for COVID that provide fast results from our labs. Our onsite presence at client’s sites is evolving into other types of services for screening for other illnesses, flu vaccinations, etc. Our software platform allows our clients to easily manage the health condition of their operations and make adjustments in real-time so there are no shutdowns–no matter if it’s in the pandemic, flu season or future situations. Our clients include Film/TV productions, Fortune 500 and sporting events.
Take us through the process.
When a client contracts us we design a customized approach that works within their operating model. We work our point of care sample collection around their needs any time of day. We evaluate the needs of the client to maintain operations as close to “normal” as possible and tailor onsite services that don’t cause disruptions. Our lab facilities are in multiple hub cities in the U.S. by design so any needed results can be received quickly and turned around in time for the client to keep running. Our software is designed as such that the turn around time is fast and results are available immediately. There’s a lot to what we do but the goal is for our clients not to feel any of the complexity of our system.
Unlike most labs that only test for one protein, Bloom tests for three (3) proteins to minimize false positives and keep you operational.
Yes. Bloom has an in-house general legal counsel to ensure best practices for all regulatory affairs including data security and HIPAA compliance.
Why is Bloom the perfect solution?
Bloom is a complete end-to-end platform. Our point of care, labs, software, and panel of experts provide an innovative way of looking at health at the scale employers are in need of. We become an extension of their operations with solutions that minimize the impact of necessary procedures: COVID today and other types of care in the future. Our system is highly adaptable to other health needs. Experts in epidemiology have publicly stated that another pandemic is possible before the end of this decade. Our system will manage the risk to organizations of having another shutdown.
What do you think are the biggest challenges that companies and industries face now in this phase of the pandemic? And how are you helping them navigate these challenges?
I think the biggest challenges for companies is coming to terms with the fact that testing and safety protocols are here to stay. We can help companies figure out long-term solutions that don’t treat this as “crisis-mode” but rather a long-term, economically viable system that keeps things operating safely.
Can you share a few client stories?
We were recently called into a major motion picture production where there were multiple cases of COVID that caused shutdowns. They had a lab they were working with but the collection and lab times were slow due to organization problems and results were inconsistent. They experienced some real problems with dangers on set as a result. Bloom was asked to see how we could solve their problems. We mobilized ourselves, propped up a complete lab in a trailer near the production and provided them a daily testing program with results coming back from the nearby lab rapidly–for tests that they were used to waiting for days at a time. Since Bloom’s arrival they stopped experiencing shutdowns and were able to quickly isolate any outbreaks of the virus keep the crew safe and saving millions of dollars in costs that would have resulted from unscheduled downtime.
Tell us about your advisory hub.
Our advisory hub is made up of a team of experts that provide in-depth research materials. This helps our clients make business planning decisions with real-time data. We have one client who operates in 40+ countries. We compiled research and advisory materials for them in every geography where they operate so they could predict which facilities were at risk and needed more (or less) safety measures. Our team is made up of some the top scientists, medical professionals and leaders in health and safety.
What is your vision for the Bloom service platform? What makes Bloom different from your competitors?
Our biggest differentiator is our ability to innovate. Organizations need new systems so health issues among their employee base don’t slow them down operations are predictable. We don’t see ourselves as a competitor to healthcare systems; we’re an extension of them.
About The Author
