![]() Brazil’s team continues to look for creative ways to increase efficiencies in order to help the most people, including knocking out walls to create more space, developing their own testing method and investing in artificial intelligence. The demand was so great, that it jumped to 1,000, then exploded to 10,000 and beyond. To begin, the lab set a goal of 500 tests a day, to ensure a turnaround time under 48 hours. Brazil admits it was a risk to “go all in” on COVID-19 testing, with no guarantees that the over half-million-dollar investment in additional equipment would pay off, but the disparity between the testing need and testing capacity was not something she could turn her back on. Gravity was just starting to turn the profitability corner when the pandemic began early in 2020. ![]() In 2018, the company added infectious disease testing including upper respiratory diagnostics, so when COVID-19 hit, the lab was positioned to readily add it to their existing platform. Prior to COVID-19, Gravity Diagnostics was primarily focused on toxicology testing and pharmacogenomics testing to help combat the opioid epidemic. When the two began a consulting job with a lab in Kentucky, they saw an opportunity and bought the company’s assets. After several years of work as a hospital nurse and later an independent healthcare consultant, Brazil connected with her now business partner, Tony Remington, co-founder and chief executive officer of Gravity Diagnostics. Deciding that she needed medical experience as well, she earned her nursing degree through a night program offered by Florida State College of Jacksonville, so she could spend days with her children, then one and three years old. And it has been pretty cool to see an Osprey providing this critical service, not only to us, but to companies throughout the country.” Brazil graduated from UNF in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. “The company has been very responsive to our needs. Curt Lox, dean of the Brooks College of Health. “Julie had us up and running quickly,” said Dr. ![]() “I am proud of the response and proactive approach that UNF took very early on to keep students and faculty safe,” said Brazil, commenting that the quick planning was a testament to the forward thinking and outside-of-the-box approach that UNF ingrains in its students. It also helps providers properly allocate resources, including frontline workers, PPE, beds, etc., which are precious right now with everything in short supply and COVID cases continuing to climb.” Brazil is especially pleased to be able to provide those fast COVID test results to UNF, where her journey began. “Getting a fast turnaround time, sometimes the same day and almost always within 24 hours, makes a huge impact on the patient and their loved ones. “With families separated from loved ones, unable to visit or say final goodbyes, I could not help but think of patients I had cared for, knowing what that is like for them,” she said. “The stories we were hearing about waiting 10-14 days for results were heartbreaking,” Brazil said. Despite the volume of work, Gravity Diagnostics has maintained impressive turnaround times: 95% of the COVID-19 tests are reported out within 24 hours of receipt. The tests come from hospitals, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, public health departments, independent provider offices and universities, including UNF, Brazil’s alma mater. ![]() By the end of 2020, Gravity was processing an average of 20,000 COVID-19 tests each day and up to 30,000 tests per day for over 800 clients across more than 40 states. Enhancing patient care by providing timely and accurate test results to healthcare providers is indeed making that impact. As co-founder and chief operating officer of Gravity Diagnostics in Covington, Kentucky, Brazil is doing just that. The experience shaped her interest in healthcare and inspired a strong desire to make a real impact on patient care and outcomes. As a child, Julie Brazil, ’03, underwent numerous orthopedic surgeries at Nemours Children’s Specialty Care, Jacksonville.
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