ServiceNow Inc. is lending its workflow software to bridge the last mile in COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
The company on Monday announced it was donating software to help North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services, among more than 100 other organizations, to get people vaccinated more quickly. The effort in North Carolina alone should result in shots for 10 million people within a few months.
“Distributing, administering and monitoring vaccinations is the greatest workflow challenge of our time. We need to move the world now,” ServiceNow
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Chief Executive Bill McDermott told MarketWatch exclusively in a phone interview Sunday.
ServiceNow’s Vaccine Administration Management solution — which will assist in the distribution of vaccine, as well as monitor inventory and stock levels — is also being used by NHS Scotland, which has developed custom workflow solutions on the Now Platform to support its goal of vaccinating 5.5 million citizens within three months.
The participation of ServiceNow in putting needles into arms is part of a burgeoning industrywide effort by tech to burnish its credentials while fulfilling an urgent societal need amid criticism for failing to pursue big projects that profoundly improve people’s lives.
Read more: ‘The biggest data puzzle of our lifetime’ — Vaccine distribution effort gets help from Big Tech
ServiceNow’s Vaccine Management solution “extends the capabilities of the Now platform, offering the potential for safe and secure vaccine distribution management globally,” said Bola Rotibi, research director of CCS Insight, who was briefed on the rollout.
“While it will not be the only vendor offering this kind of service, it is well-positioned to deliver its platform services to any vaccine administration program anywhere in the world.” Rotibi said.
What tech is undertaking is no small feat. U.S. Digital Response, an organization that pairs tech-savvy volunteers with state and local governments needing tech assistance, has outlined eight key areas for COVID-19 vaccine providers that include confirming eligibility of patients, reporting data to a state’s immunization information system, and managing vaccine inventory.
