SECAUCUS, N.J., Jan. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Adults across the country can now access comprehensive virtual preventive care without visiting a doctor's office through the new Comprehensive Health Profile from QuestDirect™ the consumer-initiated testing platform from Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX). This new offering evaluates more than 100 health-related data points -- combining access to the same quality laboratory tests doctors order, a behavioral health risk assessment and biometric measurements, such as weight and blood pressure, to give individuals a personalized snapshot of their overall health.
The new offering aims to help individuals access healthcare at their convenience following nearly two years of disrupted or delayed healthcare due to the pandemic. Studies show that many people delayed or avoided preventive care during the pandemic, have deep concerns about undiagnosed and worsening chronic health conditions, andi are at risk for worse outcomes for diseases ranging from cancer and diabetes due to the delay of testing and care.ii,iii
"The New Year provides an opportunity to examine one's health and set healthy goals for the future. Comprehensive laboratory and biometric testing are an objective tool to help do this," said Jeffrey Dlott, MD, Medical Director, QuestDirect. "The Comprehensive Health Profile allows individuals to assess their health through a series of carefully curated laboratory tests and physical measurements, combine them with a Health Risk Assessment and obtain a Health Quotient Score that can be discussed via an included virtual doctor's visit or shared with one's healthcare practitioner through MyQuest. These results can be tracked over time to gauge progress against one's goals, almost like a credit score for your health."
The Comprehensive Health Profile is designed to meet the needs of individuals who want more visibility into their own health data and access to preventive care at their convenience. Consumers have the option to add additional sex-appropriate tests, such as a PSA screening and thyroid function screening, by upgrading from a standard panel to a Men's or Women's panel.
The new service is available at QuestHealthScore.com for $299 for a Standard Panel and $349 for Men's and Women's panels. The Comprehensive Health Profile can be purchased with FSA and HSA funds, in addition to traditional payment methods. Blood draws and biometric screening like body weight and blood pressure readings, are available via appointment at 2,200 Quest Diagnostics patient service centers.
The Comprehensive Health Profile combines many of the tests and biometric screenings that a physician order as part of an annual physical, such as a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, urinalysis, cardiovascular and diabetes risk assessment, plus others such as inflammation. It also includes a collection of key physical measurements and a Health Risk Assessment, which is a brief survey that will capture family health history and current health and wellness behaviors such as physical activity, diet, mental health and stress levels.
Personalized Score to Track Progress Over Time
As part of their Comprehensive Health Profile results, individuals are provided with a user-friendly digital report that includes a personalized score, called a Health Quotient Score, developed by Quest, which is a numerical representation of your health on a scale of 1 to 100. This score is unique to each individual and factors in family health history, health and wellness behaviors, biometrics, and select lab test results. The higher the score, the lower the risk may be for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease. The Comprehensive Health Profile also includes a one-on-one consultation with a physician who can review this information, including the Health Quotient Score, to help individuals develop a plan for lowering risk. The Health Quotient Score can be tracked over time to see if risk reduction efforts are successful.
"With the Comprehensive Health Profile, Quest is rethinking the annual physical, helping people get the insights to take charge of their health while still benefiting from physician-guided care. It is especially timely now, when so many people haven't visited a doctor during the pandemic, avoiding regular preventive care due to issues of convenience, privacy and trouble accessing healthcare services," said Cathy Doherty, Senior Vice President and Group Executive, Clinical Franchise Solutions and Marketing, Quest Diagnostics. "The Comprehensive Health Profile provides people with convenient access to the same quality lab tests doctors order for them through Quest Diagnostics. It's a great example of how the worlds of health and virtual care are converging to improve the consumer experience."
The Same Tests Doctors Use at Your Fingertips
The Comprehensive Health Profile is available in 47 states starting today through QuestDirect, the consumer-initiated testing service from Quest Diagnostics that empowers consumers to take control of their health by purchasing the same quality laboratory tests doctors order, at their convenience. After purchasing a test online, an individual is prompted to schedule an appointment at one of Quest's 2,200 patient service centers for a blood draw, urine collection and biometric screening.
Test results are available on MyQuest, the company's secure patient portal, within a week, and can be shared with the individual's own healthcare practitioner. Licensed physicians provide oversight for all lab tests, based upon the information that individuals provide to Quest. This includes ordering tests, if appropriate, and evaluating results once available. Individuals can speak with a physician to discuss any of the lab results. These physicians may provide treatment for certain conditions in some states as well as recommend further medical follow-up.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve healthcare management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.
i https://newsroom.questdiagnostics.com/2020-12-09-New-Quest-Diagnostics-Health-Trends-TM-Survey-Reveals-COVID-19-Testing-Hesitancy-Among-Americans-With-3-of-4-Avoiding-a-Test-When-They-Believed-They-Needed-One
ii Fragala, M., et al. Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reduced Hemoglobin A1c Diabetes Monitoring. Population Health Management. Vol. 24, No. 1. 2021.
iii Kaufman H.W., et al. Changes in the number of US patients with newly identified cancer before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. August 2021.
SOURCE Quest Diagnostics
