Bethlehem, app developer UBMe, team up to streamline vaccination process

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A partnership between the City of Bethlehem, the Bethlehem Health Bureau and a local software app company aims to create a smooth vaccination process for those eligible to take the Covid-19 vaccine.

“It is imperative now, more than ever, that safety is a top priority throughout the vaccination process, from start to finish,” said Bethlehem Mayor Robert J. Donchez in a Jan. 11 press release.

Donchez announced the partnership with UBMe, a communications software development company located at the Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) on Bethlehem’s Southside.

“We realized that providing efficient technology within a time-sensitive field was critical, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic and partnering with the Bethlehem Health Bureau was the perfect fit,” said Val Arzunian, UBMe co-founder and CEO in the press release.

UBMe offers a hyper local communication app, where real-time communication is specific to a “geo-framed” location. UBMe’s proprietary software provides a digital connection that is location driven in real-time, the company’s website said.

Once the UBMe app is downloaded onto a smart phone device it will check vaccine distribution availability. Check-in for a vaccination appointment can only occur upon physical arrival to the site using the phone app.

Once check-in is complete, safety instructions and protocols are sent via the app for the vaccine to be administered. Post vaccination recipients are monitored for 15 minutes from their vehicles in the parking area.

The post vaccination monitoring is to ensure social distancing, and that there are no immediate adverse reactions to the vaccine.

“If any symptoms do occur the user can hit a ‘contact’ button on the UBMe app to get access to a health care professional as quickly as possible. This is a critical part of UBMe’s technology,” Arzunian said.

Distribution of the coronavirus vaccine has proved challenging across the nation.

According to a CNN report in recent weeks Covid-19 infection and death rates have continued to set and shatter daily records.

Vaccinating large numbers of people, while keeping safety protocols in place to avoid further spread of the coronavirus is another steep challenge facing health care professionals.

Hundreds or thousands of people can be lined up for vaccinations at centers. Sheer numbers of people, coupled with long wait times, can create a high risk for coronavirus infection to spread.

The New York Times reported on Jan. 10 the Florida vaccination roll out became a “sort of lawless…free-for-all” without a uniform system to deliver vaccines. Many people waited for hours or camped out overnight to be vaccinated, only to be turned away without a shot in the arm.

“We are working to mitigate this pandemic as quickly as possible. By utilizing the UBMe technology to assist the Health Bureau in scheduling, distributing and monitoring vaccine recipients, we are efficiently and effectively vaccinating the priority group populations,” Donchez said.

The press release said vaccinations in Bethlehem were tied to a tiered system, with medical and health care workers among those in the first tier.

David Bougard, UBMe co-founder and head of business development and partnerships, said the Bethlehem collaboration is “a good case study” to roll out the app and make any necessary adjustments for Covid-19 vaccinations, which could help other communities.

Bougard said there is a need across Pennsylvania and the nation for Covid-19 vaccination appointments to be orderly and seamless, while creating social distancing to protecting health care workers and vaccine recipients.

The UBMe app was successfully used in Bethlehem in coordinating and administering vaccination and flu shots ahead of the school year in September, 2020.

“We have utilized our technology to provide safety and efficiency with other industries, and it only made sense to focus on how it could improve vaccination protocol amidst the current pandemic,” Arzunian said.

For more information contact the City of Bethlehem at 610.865.7000 or visit Bethlehem-pa.gov.

For more information about UBMe visit ubme.com, or contact Val Arzunian at [email protected].