UnitedHealth Group and Microsoft have co-launched a new platform to support return-to-workplace planning and COVID-19 symptom screening.

ProtectWell helps employees determine they are safe to go to work, co-workers know their colleagues have been screened, and employers feel confident that their workplace is ready to do business.

It incorporates Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and the latest clinical research to limit the spread of COVID-19 by screening employees for symptoms and establishing guidelines to support the health and safety of the workforce and workplace.

The platform brings together UnitedHealth Group’s clinical and data analytics with Microsoft’s technology and is powered by Microsoft Azure, AI and analytics solutions.

It also takes advantage of the Microsoft Healthcare Bot service, which is being used around the world for AI-assisted COVID-19 symptom triaging.

The ProtectWell protocol is supported by a smartphone app that allows employers to offer workers a simple screening tool designed for everyday use.

The app includes an AI-powered health care bot that asks users a series of questions to screen for COVID-19 symptoms or exposure.

If risk of infection is indicated, employers can direct their employees to a streamlined COVID-19 testing process that enables closed-loop ordering and reporting of test results directly back to employers.

Healthcare information is managed by UnitedHealth Group and employers in accordance with occupational health laws.

Judson Althoff, Microsoft’s executive vice president for worldwide commercial business says: “As businesses begin to reopen, employers will need to monitor and manage their workforce for COVID-19 symptoms to help ensure those at risk of spreading the virus stay home until cleared by medical providers.”

The platform is currently only available to employers in the US at no charge.