Teal Health has partnered with UC Davis Health on a pilot study to evaluate how at-home HPV self-collection for cervical cancer screening can be integrated into routine health system workflows. The study will assess whether offering FDA-authorized self-collection kits to women who are due or overdue for screening can improve participation rates while reducing the administrative burden on healthcare providers. Funded through a National Institutes of Health Small Business Innovation Research grant, the project is intended to help establish a scalable model for health systems looking to expand access to preventive care.
The pilot will target women between the ages of 30 and 65 who are eligible for cervical cancer screening. Participants will be invited through existing health system communication channels, including MyChart, email, text messages and care teams, before completing an eligibility assessment. Those who qualify will receive Teal Health's at-home screening kit by mail, return their samples through the postal service and have them processed by UC Davis Health's laboratory. Test results will then be integrated directly into the electronic health record, allowing clinicians to manage screening outcomes within their existing workflows.
A key objective of the study is to determine how effectively at-home screening can operate within real-world clinical environments. Teal Health and UC Davis Health have integrated ordering, laboratory processing and results reporting through Epic and HL7 workflows to minimize manual administrative tasks and simplify implementation. Researchers will evaluate screening completion rates, patient engagement, operational efficiency and the program's ability to reach women who have fallen behind on recommended preventive care.
The collaboration supports Teal Health's broader strategy of expanding access to cervical cancer screening through partnerships with health systems, academic medical centers, employers and public health organizations. By demonstrating that at-home HPV self-collection can be incorporated into existing clinical infrastructure, the company hopes to make cervical cancer screening more accessible and convenient while helping healthcare organizations improve preventive care delivery at scale.
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