NEW YORK–HSS Medical Supply has entered into a distribution agreement with Abbott to offer the company’s ID NOW rapid molecular diagnostic testing platform, expanding its portfolio of point-of-care medical technologies for healthcare providers.
The agreement allows the family-owned medical supply distributor to add Abbott’s ID NOW system to its catalog of more than 2,000 healthcare products, targeting physician offices, urgent care centers, outpatient clinics and other medical facilities.
Abbott’s ID NOW is a compact molecular diagnostic testing system designed to detect common infectious diseases, including influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19 and group A streptococcus, which causes strep throat.
The platform delivers results for influenza, RSV and COVID-19 in 13 minutes or less, while strep throat test results are available in under six minutes, according to the companies.
Unlike conventional rapid antigen tests, which detect proteins associated with viruses or bacteria, the ID NOW system uses molecular technology to identify and amplify genetic material from infectious organisms.
This approach is intended to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce the likelihood of false-negative results compared with some traditional rapid testing methods.
According to HSS Medical Supply, the platform provides influenza diagnostic accuracy exceeding 96%, compared with reported accuracy rates ranging from 81% to 87% for certain antigen-based tests.
The ID NOW system is classified as CLIA-waived for applicable tests, allowing qualifying healthcare facilities operating under a Certificate of Waiver to perform testing without the infrastructure required for more complex laboratory procedures.
The technology is designed for single-patient testing and allows clinicians to obtain molecular diagnostic results during a patient’s appointment.
By receiving results while patients remain in the examination room, healthcare professionals may be able to make treatment decisions more quickly, potentially reducing the need for follow-up visits and additional patient communications.
The company also said the molecular testing platform could help reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions by providing more precise information about whether a patient has a bacterial or viral infection.
For group A streptococcal infections, the company said the molecular testing approach may eliminate the need for confirmatory throat cultures following certain negative test results, depending on the applicable testing protocol.
HSS Medical Supply also highlighted potential financial benefits for healthcare providers, noting that molecular diagnostic procedures may qualify for higher reimbursement rates than conventional rapid antigen tests under certain insurance billing arrangements.
However, reimbursement amounts depend on the specific test, payer policies and applicable billing requirements.
“Our goal has always been to equip healthcare providers with the highest-grade tools to deliver exceptional patient care. Adding Abbott’s ID NOW platform to our product portfolio allows us to offer practitioners a reliable, highly accurate diagnostic solution,” said Peter McCann, Co-Founder of HSS Medical Supply. “Cutting diagnostic time and accelerating treatments means more and more people get care early, before the condition worsens.”
The distribution agreement expands HSS Medical Supply’s diagnostic testing offerings as healthcare providers seek technologies that can deliver laboratory-style results more rapidly in outpatient and community healthcare settings.
Abbott is a global medical technology company that develops diagnostic systems, medical devices, nutritional products and pharmaceuticals.
Its ID NOW platform is designed to bring molecular testing capabilities closer to patients, allowing healthcare professionals to identify certain infectious diseases without sending samples to centralized laboratories.
HSS Medical Supply distributes medical products and equipment to healthcare facilities and practitioners. The addition of Abbott’s ID NOW platform broadens its point-of-care diagnostic portfolio and provides customers with another option for rapid infectious disease testing.
