Manual and Automated Contact Tracing Technology
Stop the Spread of COVID-19
in the workplace.
Tracing
Automated Contact Tracing
We auto-populate a dashboard of potentially exposed employees so they can be informed to isolate and get tested if needed. We capture this data using our smartphone app and Bluetooth wearable devices.
Social Distancing Alarm
If employees come within 6 feet of one another their phone will vibrate, reminding them to practice social distancing.
Manual Contact Tracing
We also provide manual contact tracing services to complement the automated system.
ReturnSafe contact tracing methods – a solution for every need
We’ve vetted the best contact tracing solutions for businesses for both manual and automatic contact tracing and provide them in our integrated platform including Bluetooth smartphone, hardware tags, and an easy to use app logbook.
Contact tracing method comparison
Meet with one of our experts to help you find the right solution for your organization.
Method
Peer to Peer via Bluetooth Hardware
Triangulation via Bluetooth Hardware
Peer to Peer via Bluetooth Smartphone
App Logbook
HOW IT WORKS
Tags track interactions, upload data via entrance/exit gateway
Tags triangulate with gateways to log location
Phones track contact with other phones
Manually log contacts
SOCIAL DISTANCING ALERTS
Yes
No
Yes
No
LOCATION TRACKING
No
Yes
No
Yes
COST
$$$
$$$
$$
$
RELIABILITY
High
High
Low
User Dependant
ACCURACY
Medium-High
Medium
(depends on density of gateways)
Low
User Dependant
Contact tracing starts with the daily symptom screener
We pull data from the daily employee screening surveys to trigger automated contact tracing when an employee tests positive for COVID-19. The daily surveys capture when symptoms began, which helps find other employees who may have been exposed.
Automated contact tracing stops outbreaks in their tracks
ReturnSafe tracks employee contact via their smartphones or optional Bluetooth beacons when they are at work. This data auto-populates a dashboard of exposed employees when someone tests positive, enabling HR to quickly begin contact tracing to discover who is at risk. At-risk employees will be informed to isolate and get tested.
Manual contact tracing ensures no interaction is missed
For times when an employee isn’t carrying their phone, we provide a Logbook where they can manually enter an interaction at a later time. This supplements the automated contact tracing to create a more complete list.
Immediately alert those exposed via our BioSecurity Portal
HR manages the contact tracing process through the BioSecurity Portal. The Portal contains the list of people the COVID-19 positive employee or student came into contact with during their infected period, allowing HR to immediately notify the at risk people to isolate. Studies have shown that if contact tracing starts on “day 0”, onward disease transmissions can be reduced by as much as 79%.
We looked at several alternatives and chose ReturnSafe. The agility of the app allows us to segment locations so that we can apply the right policies to meet the requirements of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society sites.
ReturnSafe was also the best from an ease of use perspective. It simplifies the screening process for employees and volunteers, and that’s really important to us as we want people to feel confident when coming back to the office.
Contact Tracing FAQs
When do customers need a Hybrid Contact Tracing App?
In situations where smartphone use is not feasible, such as on a manufacturing floor or at a K-12 school, Bluetooth badges or wristbands provide tracking coverage and Bluetooth hubs collect this information and feed that to our platform automatically.
Is manual contact tracing or tracing via a contact tracing app better?
The faster you notify people who may have been exposed to an infected person, the faster you contain an outbreak. When using a contact tracing app, the administrator will immediately receive the list of people potentially exposed who need to isolate and seek medical advice. Contact tracing apps give organizations a head start with tracing as interactions are logged automatically every day. However, manual contact tracing can also play a role when the exposed population is large and assistance is needed to reach out to exposed individuals.
How does ReturnSafe protect employee health data?
Data collected by ReturnSafe is visible only through the BioSecurity portal. Only adminstrators designated by the ReturnSafe customer will have access to the BioSecurity portal.
Is the data encrypted and is it shared with 3rd parties?
All data is encrypted and we do not share with third parties.
Does ReturnSafe do manual or automated contact tracing?
Our platform automates discovering who on your team was exposed to an infected individual. However, those exposed employees will need to be contacted to be informed that they are at risk and need to isolate and get tested. You can either manage this yourself or we can connect you with a partner who is able to handle contacting your employees in the event of a potential outbreak.
What are the benefits of hardware (Bluetooth Beacons) vs app-based contact tracing?
Beacon-based contact tracking provides a higher degree of preciseness when tracking movements throughout your facility. However, hardware needs to be installed to make this happen which makes the cost higher. It is a trade off of precision coverage vs. cost.
Do you have rules for sharing test results internally, specifically or anonymously?
When testing results are reported by the employee in the employee facing app, the employee can then choose to share the results so contact tracing can take place. Unfortunately, this can’t be automated to be received anonymously as the contact tracing is attached to that person’s identifier. This is needed for tracing who they have come into contact with.
Let us show you how it works.