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As more states legalize medicinal and recreational marijuana, more people are using the substance. In fact, a new report from Quest Diagnostics found that more people are testing positive for marijuana in workplace drug tests, with 2017 being the fifth year in a row for increased marijuana detection in urine drug tests. In 2017, 2.6% of the general workforce tested positive for marijuana use.

Quest Diagnostics, Secaucus, a provider of diagnostic information services, announced that it has completed the sale of its India medical diagnostic service business to Strand Life Sciences, a Bangalore-based specialized diagnostics company. Terms of this transaction were not disclosed. Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Finance & Restructuring, India acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Quest Diagnostics.

One of the largest U.S. drug-testing laboratories has analyzed its millions of urine drug test results by industry for the first time, and found the two industries with the highest rate of positive test results for marijuana were also two that have to deal with consumers. Some 5.3 percent of tests given to retail trade workers, and 4.7 percent of those given to health care and social assistance workers came back positive, according to an analysis by Quest Diagnostics.

Apple's health records project onboarded 100-plus hospitals and clinics. Apple has also been collaborating with national clinical testing labs — such as LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics — to bring patients' diagnostic results directly into the iPhone Health app as part of the health records feature.

Drug use by the U.S. workforce increased each year -- and by double-digits over two years -- between 2015 and 2017, in five of 16 major U.S. industry sectors analyzed, according to a first-ever analysis of industry-specific data from more than ten million urine drug test results performed by Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services.

Tapping its massive sample of over 10 million employee drug tests across the country, Quest Diagnostics said it's identified the industries in which the most workers test positive for drugs.

Palm Harbor, one of WhiteSands’ drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities in Palm Harbor, FL, is happy to offer its services to patients with addiction problems. The company helps those with drug and alcohol addiction issues to get help and back on the road to recovery. Drug addiction is increasing according to Quest Diagnostics, one of the nation’s leading providers of employee drug testing when they reported that in September of 2015 the percentage of employees testing positive for drugs had reached a 10-year high.

These days, cannabidiol, or CBD, which is the non-inebriating compound in marijuana, is being used for pain, anxiety, and as a sleep aid. Also, the FDA recently approved its use for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome, which are severe forms of epilepsy. At Quest Diagnostics, one of the biggest drug testing companies in the United States, they don’t offer testing for CBD and it’s not part of any employer drug testing program, says Barry Sample, director of science and technology for employer solutions at the company. Even people who are being drug tested for the DEA are not tested for CBD; in fact, federal employees can only be drug tested for certain predetermined compounds, and CBD isn’t one of them.

Aetna, a CVS Health business, and Ascension have joined the pilot project applying blockchain technology to improve data quality and reduce administrative costs associated with changes to health care provider demographic data. Humana, MultiPlan, Quest Diagnostics and UnitedHealth Groups Optum and UnitedHealthcare announced the launch of the Synaptic Health Alliance pilot project in April.

Protocol Testing is certified to perform individual, forensic and federally regulated drug and alcohol testing in their offices or at a place of business. Protocol performs urine, hair, nail, and alcohol testing (EtG and Breath) for: pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, random, return to duty, follow-up, court ordered, students, probation and workers comp. We are also certified for Paternal DNA Testing. Rick told the group they use a variety of labs used for analysis which include Quest, Labcorp, Expertox, and USDTL.

Although it is crucial to identify tick-borne diseases, including Lyme, early, many tests can be inaccurate or difficult to interpret. Chromacode Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif., is looking to help change that. The company reported the commercial launch of its first multiplex test using its High Definition Polymerase Chain Reaction (HDPCR) technology. Chromacode said the HDPCR Tick-Borne Pathogen (TBP) panel is the only multiplex PCR test that detects nine of the most common tick-borne pathogens in a single test. This past summer, Quest Diagnostics Inc. helped put that in perspective after looking at more than 6 million de-identified laboratory test results over the past seven years and determining that the disease spiked between 2016 and 2017.

Workplace drug testing was jump-started by President Reagan’s 1986 executive order mandating it for federal employees. In 1988, Congress passed The Drug-Free Workplace Act (41 U.S.C. 81). This law requires some Federal contractors and all Federal grantees to agree that they will provide drug-free workplaces as a precondition of receiving a contract or grant from a Federal agency. Over 9.5 million urine drug tests were positive in the U.S. workforce in 2015. The rates increased to 4% of workers tested in 2015 versus 3.9% the year before, per Quest Diagnostics.

On Dec 5, we issued an updated research report on Quest Diagnostics, Inc.. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #3. Over the past three months, shares of this major commercial laboratory services provider have outperformed its industry. The stock has declined 18% compared with the industry’s 19.9% fall.

he boom of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies have inspired healthcare organizations to test the capabilities of their data. Quest Diagnostics, in partnership with Humana, MultiPlan, and UnitedHealth Group’s Optum and UnitedHealthcare, have launched a pilot program that applies blockchain technology to improve data quality and reduce administrative costs associated with changes to healthcare provider demographic data.

Quest Diagnostics recently announced it will contribute biomarker implementation, population health analytics and a national lab platform as a pillar supporter of One Brave Idea, the research initiative cofounded by the American Heart Association (AHA) and Verily Life Sciences with significant support from AstraZeneca. The company said it hopes to advance the work to identify coronary heart disease at the earliest transition from wellness to disease.

At 5.7 percent Louisiana’s drug test positivity rate is over 1 percent higher than the national average, according to a map produced by Quest Diagnostics' drug testing index.

Quest Diagnostics Inc (NYSE:DGX) institutional sentiment increased to 0.93 in Q2 2018. Its up 0.13, from 0.8 in 2018Q1. The ratio has increased, as 217 funds opened new and increased equity positions, while 234 cut down and sold their stakes in Quest Diagnostics Inc. The funds in our partner’s database reported: 110.90 million shares, down from 111.81 million shares in 2018Q1. Also, the number of funds holding Quest Diagnostics Inc in their top 10 equity positions increased from 0 to 3 for an increase of 3. Sold All: 30 Reduced: 204 Increased: 145 New Position: 72.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists will present research marking significant advances against the hematologic cancer multiple myeloma at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting Dec. 1-4. Their findings provide new insights into the progression of the disease from precursor conditions and suggest approaches for novel treatments. Testing will be performed at each participant's local Quest Diagnostics laboratory. To sign up for the study, please visit http://www.promisestudy.org.

Aetna, a CVS Health business, and Ascension have joined the pilot project applying blockchain technology to improve data quality and reduce administrative costs associated with changes to health care provider demographic data. Humana, MultiPlan, Quest Diagnostics and UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) Optum and UnitedHealthcare announced the launch of the Synaptic Health Alliance pilot project in April.

Quest Diagnostics made it official: It is coming to the city and bringing 1,100 jobs. The company told officials it hopes to break ground for the 250,000-square-foot facility and accompanying five to seven-story parking garage this spring, officials said.

Quest Diagnostics Inc. (Quest), an American diagnostic information service provider, has reportedly announced that it has inked an agreement to acquire the laboratory services business unit belonging to Boyce and Bynum Pathology Laboratories (BBPL), a clinical & diagnostic laboratory service provider.

Parts of Boyce and Bynum Pathology Labs are set to be acquired by Quest Diagnostics. Quest announced they recently signed an agreement to acquire the assets of Boyce and Bynum's clinical laboratory services.

Quest Diagnostics announced today that it will build a 250,000-square-foot flagship laboratory in Clifton, New Jersey. The new laboratory will become the largest of the more than 20 major laboratory facilities in the Quest network and will employ more than 1,100 people. It is expected to be operational in early 2021.

The questions sound familiar: “Describe a time when you went above and beyond;” “Tell me about a time when you had to deliver bad news to a customer.” But in this telephone job interview, there is a twist: No human is on the other end of the line. Major companies such as laboratory-test provider Quest Diagnostics Inc., hospital operator HCA Healthcare Inc. and insurer Allstate Insurance Co. use such interviews for some hiring, as do retailers, restaurant chains and law firms.

Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of the clinical laboratory services business of Boyce and Bynum Pathology Laboratories (BBPL), a leading provider of diagnostic and clinical laboratory services in the Midwest.

A new mass spectrometry blood test from Quest Diagnostics aims to provide physicians with an easy tool for assessing insulin resistance as an early predictor of future diabetes. The test, called the Cardio IQ Insulin Resistance Panel with Score, has been offered for about two months through Quest and is performed at Quest's Nichols Institute in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Jeffrey Gudin, M.D., is director of pain and palliative care at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey and a medical adviser for Quest Diagnostics. The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, also known as the SUPPORT Act, is now the law of the land. This comprehensive, bipartisan bill, which aims to address the prolonged national opioid crisis, offers a rare opportunity to applaud progress in the national effort to address one of the great health care epidemics of our time: misuse of opioids and other prescription drugs. But there is still much more work to be done.

The Marin Healthcare District has sold its four outpatient clinical laboratories where blood is drawn for tests to Quest Diagnostics, a publicly-traded company based in Secaucus, New Jersey. The acquisition will double the number of labs Quest operates in Marin to eight. The Marin Healthcare District labs sold are located at 100 A Drake’s Landing, Greenbrae; 5 Bon Air Road, Larkspur; 23 Reed Blvd., Mill Valley; and 75 Rowland Way, Novato. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Developing novel approaches to understand pre-disease and health is the cornerstone strategy of One Brave Idea™, a research initiative led by Dr. Calum MacRae, vice chair for Scientific Innovation in the department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. n a move to advance the ground-breaking work to identify coronary heart disease at the earliest transition from wellness to disease, Quest Diagnostics will contribute biomarker implementation, population health analytics and a national lab platform as a pillar supporter of One Brave Idea, the research initiative co-founded by the American Heart Association (AHA) and Verily Life Sciences with significant support from AstraZeneca.

Quest Diagnostics now supports Apple's health records feature, making it the second clinical testing laboratory to join the project. Early in 2018, the iPhone maker released plans to integrate patient health records — including allergies, immunizations and lab results — into its Health app as part of the iOS 11.3 beta rollout.

Lab giants Quest Diagnostics and Laboratory Corporation of America both launched consumer-initiated testing services this month, empowering consumers to select laboratory testing kits to monitor their health. The new testing services — Pixel by LabCorp, introduced on Nov. 1, and QuestDirect, launched on Nov. 7 — reflect changing trends in how consumers access healthcare, according to company executives.

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show tickborne diseases are again on the rise. In 2017, state and local health departments reported a record number of cases of tickborne disease to CDC. Lyme disease in the US: The Quest Diagnostics Health Trends report

Doctors, hospitals and medical labs used to be concerned about patients who didn’t have insurance not paying their bills. Now they’re scrambling to get paid by the ones who do have insurance. Even large medical companies with national operations are facing the problem. Quest Diagnostics Inc., the lab-testing giant, said 20 percent of services billed to patients in the third quarter of this year went unpaid, costing the company about $80 million in lost revenue.

It is unclear whether supplementation with vitamin D reduces the risk of cancer or cardiovascular disease, and data from randomized trials are limited. Blood samples were obtained at baseline during the run-in period from all willing participants — 16,956 of the 25,871 persons who underwent randomization (65.5%). At no cost to the trial, Quest Diagnostics donated and performed serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D assays with the use of liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry on all samples that could be analyzed.

Clinical Genomics and Quest Diagnostics today announced a five-year extension to a US supply agreement for the InSure One fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Clinical Genomics manufacturers FIT tests, including InSure One FIT. Under the supply agreement extension, Quest will continue to provide the tests to physicians and organized provider groups across the US, including specialized programs to improve colorectal cancer screening rates for accountable care organizations and other organizations focused on value-based care models.

In a move to advance the ground-breaking work to identify coronary heart disease at the earliest transition from wellness to disease, Quest Diagnostics will contribute biomarker implementation, population health analytics and a national lab platform as a pillar supporter of One Brave Idea, the research initiative co-founded by the American Heart Association (AHA) and Verily Life Sciences with significant support from AstraZeneca.

Quest Diagnostics has completed its previously announced acquisition of the U.S. laboratory services business of England-based Oxford Immunotec Global PLC, the two companies announced Tuesday. Under terms of the deal, Secaucus-based Quest has purchased the business from Oxford, including the T-SPOT TB tuberculosis and Accutix tick disease testing services provided at labs in Tennessee and Massachusetts.

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, announced that MyQuest, used by more than six million people to see, store and share their results and health information using a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, now supports Health Records on iPhone. In addition, Quest recently launched a MyQuest update that provides new features such as direct access testing, the ability to add dependents or other approved users, real-time scheduling and more for patients as they become more engaged in managing their healthcare decisions.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey today announced it has renewed its laboratory services relationship with Laboratory Corporation of America and added Quest Diagnostics as an in-network provider of such services.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey will add Quest Diagnostics as an in-network provider of diagnostic information services for its 2.8 million members effective Jan. 1. Quest has more than 300 patient access points in New Jersey and will serve all Horizon members with the exception of managed Medicaid and Dual Eligible Special Needs plan beneficiaries.

Quest Diagnostics launched a direct-to-consumer service that allows users to order and pay for lab tests from home. Dubbed QuestDirect, the online service offers 35 diagnostic test packages covering general health and wellness, men’s and women’s health, and the heart and digestive system, as well as panels for infections or sexually transmitted diseases.

Most of the time, finding a colon in a vacant house would be bad or even horrific news. But not in this case.[CR-LF][CR-LF]On October 20th I wrote for Forbes about someone stealing a 10-foot-long, 150-pound inflatable colon. This wasn't a colon from one of those huge floats in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, but a colon from the Colon Cancer Coalition meant to raise awareness for colon cancer screening as part of a campaign called “Get Your Rear in Gear.” Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness and employees of Salix Pharmaceuticals also offered money to help purchase a replacement.

Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, and Marin General Hospital, a not-for-profit, full-service hospital, have entered into a definitive agreement for Quest to acquire the outreach laboratory services operations of Marin General Hospital.

How drug tests measure for cocaine[CR-LF]The good news is that the window for cocaine detection in a urinalysis or saliva test is so short that you pretty much have to be coming down from a high while pissing to be detected. This is particularly true if you’re an infrequent user. “For most drug users, it takes one to two days [to be untraceable],” says Barry Sample, the director of science and technology at Quest Diagnostics.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center says there’s now $1,000 available for anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the return of a giant inflatable colon. KU said lab testing giant Quest Diagnostics is donating funds for a new colon.

We're number one! In people failing drugs test for weed! According to a report from the Drug Testing Index, Oregon has a higher percentage of workplace drug tests that are positive for marijuana than any other state in the country. Feeling proud? You're about to feel prouder because this is the third year in a row that Oregon has achieved this honor. According to the Quest index, culled from more than 10 million drug tests administered at workplaces throughout the country, a whopping 4.64 percent of Oregon's workplace drug tests in 2017 were positive for pot. That's up from 2016's 4.5 percent and 2015's 3.43 percent.

Secaucus-based Quest Diagnostics has acquired the outreach laboratory services operations of Marin General Hospital, it announced Thursday. The deal, Quest said, will enhance its delivery of diagnostic information services, like an enhanced test menu, to communities in Marin County, California.

Marshall County Prosecutor, Chipman is sworn to uphold the law, even the federal ban on marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug and Indiana's reluctance in legislating medical marijuana for Hoosiers. In 2017, 1.9 percent of Indiana workers tested positive for marijuana, although some northeast and southwest pockets are as high as 3.1 percent, according to the annual Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index. The national rate is 2 percent, with Michigan at 2.8 percent, Illinois and Kentucky at 2.1 percent and Ohio at 1.9 percent.

Quest Diagnostics this week announced it is acquiring the outreach laboratory services of Marin General Hospital located in Greenbrae, California. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. No other details were disclosed.

The debate over marijuana in Michigan is heating up as we get closer to the November election. Proposal 1 is one of the most talked about issues on the November ballot; it would legalize the recreational use of cannabis in the state of Michigan. If passed, the measure will allow anyone 21 and older to carry 2.5 ounces of marijuana without getting in trouble. As more and more states legalize recreational marijuana, studies show more and more people are smoking – or at least getting caught. Quest Diagnostics reports 2017 was a banner year, an all-time high for people failing drug tests.

OCT 25MORE ON BILLING AND COLLECTIONSTechnology key to curbing rate of claims denials for hospitals, health systems Some providers see nine percent of their claims denied, and with each costing as much as $118, better processes can help realize cost savings.[CR-LF]Jeff Lagasse, Associate Editor[CR-LF][CR-LF]Hospitals and health systems have a denied claims problem. A 2017 analysis by Change Healthcare found that out of roughly $3 trillion in medical claims submitted by U.S. hospitals in the prior year, almost 9 percent of those charges were initially denied. Such a high rate of denials creates challenges for maximizing revenue, so it's important to have the right tools and processes in place. Enter technology, which can play a key role in curbing the denials issue. Tom Romeo, general manager of healthcare IT at Quest Diagnostics, advocates for technology that can do eligibility checking. It's also important for any approach, whether technological or process-focused, to curb duplicate billing, as well as improper CPT codes.

Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, and Marin General Hospital, a not-for-profit, full-service hospital, have entered into a definitive agreement for Quest to acquire the outreach laboratory services operations of Marin General Hospital. The transaction will enhance the delivery of innovative, high-value diagnostic information services to communities in Marin County, Calif. Physicians and patients will benefit from an enhanced test menu, which includes advanced diagnostic services, and an expanded network of conveniently located patient service centers. "The hospital has worked with Quest for years, and they are known for quality, innovation and scale. We feel they will be better able to maintain the standards our community wants and deserves at a reasonable cost. We will collaborate to ensure a smooth transition," said Lee Domanico, Chief Executive Officer, Marin General Hospital & Marin Healthcare District at Marin General Hospital.

Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, announced today jointly with other leading diagnostic services providers the formation and launch of the Global Diagnostics Network (GDN). The GDN is a strategic working group of diagnostic laboratories, each committed to unleashing and sharing local innovation to increase global access to diagnostic science, information, and services - ultimately generating enhanced diagnostic insights to improve the delivery of global healthcare. Collectively, this worldwide community of healthcare leaders has a presence in countries with more than half of the world's population across all continents.

Quest Diagnostics is partnering with Mood Media to introduce "Quest TV," a curated, video programming network that is pre-recorded, with short-form and family-friendly content. The rollout includes more than 2,200 Quest Diagnostics waiting room lobbies in patient service centers across the U.S. "Live TV means potential for inappropriate programming, unsettling news segments or advertisements, and more," says Chris Grant, executive director of patient services, Quest Diagnostics. "Ultimately, this means we can feel confident in the type of experience and ambiance we’re setting for our waiting patients."

True innovators go to great lengths to change the world around them, says Jake Orville, general manager at Cleveland HeartLab, a CardioMetabolic and Endo franchise at Quest Diagnostics. “You can be known as innovative, but to be disruptive in your innovation, you have to do more than move the needle,” Orville says. “To get recognized as a leader and to gain momentum in your innovation, you have to have exponential growth and make a big impact.” Orville and his team took aim at heart disease, the nation’s leading killer of both men and women. In his view, nothing else comes close to it both in terms of clinical need and the opportunity to make a profound impact — the inflammation testing that CHL has developed could eliminate billions in health care costs.

Quest Diagnostics Inc. on Tuesday reported third-quarter earnings of $213 million. On a per-share basis, the Secaucus, New Jersey-based company said it had net income of $1.53. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were $1.68 per share. The results met Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for earnings of $1.68 per share. The medical laboratory operator posted revenue of $1.89 billion in the period, which fell short of Street forecasts. Eight analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.95 billion.

Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, will host an Investor Day for institutional investors and financial analysts in New York City on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at The InterContinental New York Times Square Hotel at 300 W. 44th St.

Quest Diagnostics today reported 2 percent year-over-year revenue growth for the third quarter missing analyst expectations. Revenue was $1.89 billion for the three- month period ended Sept. 30, 2018, up from $1.86 billion in the third quarter last year. The consensus Wall Street estimate was $1.95 billion. Ross Muken, analyst with investment bank Evercore ISI called the quarter "mediocre to modestly disappointing," in a note to investors. He cited the missed revenues, and the continuation of headwinds that the company faced last quarter as some of the reasons for his modest disappointment.

The US interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) tuberculosis testing market has been largely dominated by one player, but Quest Diagnostics' acquisition of the US operations of a smaller contender has potential to increase competition in the rapidly growing market, some experts say. The leading IGRA tuberculosis test, Qiagen's QuantiFERON-TB had global sales of $185 million in 2017, about half of which was made up of US sales, according to a spokesman. Quest's plans to acquire the US operations of Oxford Immunotec, maker of the competing T Spot.TB IGRA tuberculosis test, could add scale and efficiency to a less widely known competitor in a rapidly growing market, financial analysts and tuberculosis experts say. The $170 million deal, in which Quest will also acquire US operations of Oxford Immunotec's Accutix tick-borne disease test, is expected to close by year end.

In a recent article, we discussed secondhand cannabis smoke and why a person has very little chance to generate a positive hair test from it. A few folks wrote to us explaining they had indeed failed a hair test thanks to the secondhand smoke around them and not what they consumed. We got enough responses that we felt the need to delve deeper into the issue around secondhand smoke and hair follicle tests. In 2015, the Cannabist spoke with Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions Director of Science and Technology, Dr. Barry Sample, about why secondhand smoke should not trigger a positive test. Dr. Sample explained that, “Hair testing detects a pattern of repetitive use and does not detect recent or single (first time) use. Published, peer-reviewed studies to date have not demonstrated the reporting of a hair specimen as positive for marijuana use due to ‘passive’ or ‘incidental’ exposure.” In the case of a failed hair test, subjects can take a second follow-up test. In this case, hair samples are usually washed to remove any secondhand contaminants from the test.

Quest Diagnostics used an 18-month leadership development program called LeadingQuest Academy to overhaul its leadership culture and drive new growth. The academy focused on experiential learning through an in-residence program, action learning projects, cross-functional team-building and pre- and post-assessments.

In 2015 Arizona passed a law that allowed people to obtain any test offered by a licensed clinical laboratory without a health care provider’s request or authorization. The benefits of the bill largely fell by the wayside when the primary company that supported the bill was found to be lying about their testing process. However, while all eyes were on the downfall of Theranos, Sonora Quest Laboratories started My Lab ReQuest, their own direct-to-consumer blood testing. “Theranos was already in that space. LabCorp had announced, nationally, that they were going to get into the direct-to-consumer space. So, it was an internal business decision on our part to expand direct-to-consumer,” David Dexter, CEO of SQL, said. “I will tell you that I was somewhat of a skeptic that we were truly entering a direct-to-consumer phase in health care, but I gave way completely because once we completely delivered the direct-to-consumer product, within 90 days of rolling it out, the response was much stronger than I had anticipated.”

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are seeking participants in a new study, funded as part of the Stand Up To Cancer Multiple Myeloma Dream Team, to identify people with conditions that are precursors of multiple myeloma and track their health over time. The study, dubbed PROMISE, will help scientists track the molecular changes that occur as precursor conditions progress to myeloma. This information will be critical in the development of drugs that prevent the disease from advancing and improve patients’ survival. Initial participation in the trial is online or by mail. Local travel for blood draw is required. Testing will be performed at each participant’s local Quest Diagnostics laboratory. To sign up for the study, please visit www.promisestudy.org. Additional funding is provided by grants from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium, Celgene, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the National Institutes of Health. The Promise study has partnered with Quest Diagnostics, as the preferred provider for laboratory testing.

Physicians must be allowed to prescribe opioids, but we need regulations that support drug testing of patients before and during such therapy. Throughout my career, I have closely studied prescription drug use and misuse, particularly relating to opioids. As director, medical science liaison, and medical affairs at the large New Jersey-based company, Quest Diagnostics, the nature of our current opioid epidemic is particularly disturbing, and it’s hitting much too close to home.

Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, announced today that it will present results of four studies at the 2018 American Society of Human Genetics Meeting (ASHG), October 16 – 20, 2018 in San Diego (Quest Diagnostics booth 1514). These studies by Quest Diagnostics researchers evaluate a broad range of laboratory technologies and best practices for aiding in genomic sequencing of data for the diagnosis of patients with a broad range of genetic diseases and disorders. These include next generation sequencing (NGS) to detect alpha-thalassemia common deletions, which can affect the body's production of hemoglobin, causing anemia and other blood disorders. Other research describes best practices for identifying clinically relevant gene variants from sequenced genetic data.

At the start of 2018, I put my health (both mental and physical) as a top priority. I have been seeing the results slowly but surely! Exercising daily has made the biggest impact, along with eating with a more healthy intention. If you like to take charge of your own health, I would suggest starting out with daily walks and incorporating a salad into your every day routine. Those are two super-easy ways to improve your general health! I’ve also added several vitamins and supplements to improve different aspects of my health. I recently decided to check in to see if these supplements have impacted my health. Through Health Testing Centers, I purchased an Expanded Vitamin Panel to see what vitamins I may be showing as low or high. I also purchased an Anemia test to see if I may be anemic. With just a few clicks, I added the two lab tests to my cart, choosing which lab I wanted to go to. I chose Quest Diagnostics because there is a location just a short distance from me. There were so many location choices it will be easy to find a lab near you. You can pay with a credit card or even use PayPal. I love the convenience aspect!

Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, today announced that its subsidiary, Summit Health Inc., has completed the previously disclosed acquisition of the assets of Hooper Holmes, Inc. d/b/a Provant Health, a provider of employer health and wellness services focused on whole person wellness and care cost management.

Quest Diagnostics announced today the formation of the Global Diagnostics Network (GDN), a partnership with other large labs across the globe for the sharing of diagnostic innovation, information, and services. The initial focus of the new partnership will include collaboration on companion diagnostics, and the creation of an emerging pathogen preparedness network to expedite infectious disease research and response. Additional initiatives are expected to be rolled out based on regional and global priorities. Quest's partners in the new network include Al Borg Medical Laboratories, founded in Saudi Arabia, with labs across the Middle East and Africa; Dasa, based in Brazil; GC Labs, based in South Korea; KingMed Diagnostics, based in Hong Kong with labs across South East Asia; Primary Health Care, based in Australia; and SynLab, based in Germany with labs across Europe and on four continents.

Soot particles from burning fossil fuels increases the risk of mouth cancer, warns new research. The first study of its kind discovered that high levels of fine particulate matter from engines, power stations and factories, and to a lesser extent, ozone, may be key. The findings, published online by the Journal of Investigative Medicine, show that the number of new cases, and deaths from, mouth cancer is increasing in many parts of the world.Study author Dr Michael McPhaul, of Quest Diagnostics in the US said: “The smaller diameter, but larger surface area, of PM2.5 means that it can be relatively easily absorbed while at the same time potentially wreaking greater havoc on the body.”

Quest Diagnostics the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, announced today that it received the Gold Award in the 2018 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards from the National Business Group on Health (NBGH). The awards recognized 49 employers that have an exceptional commitment to improving the lives of their employees through their overall well-being, productivity and quality of life. The Gold Award is presented to member companies that have a strong commitment to holistic well-being and related metrics.

Quest Diagnostics says it is taking over lab services that had been provided by Hurley Medical Center at three locations. Quest announced the new arrangement, the financial terms of which were not disclosed, in a news release this week. Hurley spokeswoman Laura Jasso described Quest as Hurley's "transition partner in lab services" after having made the decision to close some sites where it drew blood "throughout the community."

The number of workers testing positive for drugs they’re not supposed to have is declining in South Carolina, according to a new report from the laboratory Quest Diagnostics. Still, a consistently high rate of positive drug tests has exacerbated the state’s labor shortage.

Secaucus-based Quest Diagnostics, a provider of diagnostic information services, announced that it has acquired PhenoPath, a national provider of specialized anatomic pathology (AP) and related services. Based in Seattle, PhenoPath provides AP, molecular oncology and other services that complement and extend those of the company’s Advanced Diagnostics portfolio of services. These include services, such as genetic sequencing and genomic tumor analysis, which require higher-order expertise and skill.

Gov. Phil Murphy was thrilled to join Quest Diagnostics CEO Steve Rusckowski at a ribbon-cutting for Quest’s new headquarters in Secaucus on Thursday morning. Murphy said he hoped that other CEOs would look at Quest, a Fortune 500 company, choosing New Jersey and follow suit. “We have a newfound will, in addition to our natural assets, to use our advantages to their fullest potential,” he said. “I hope that somewhere, the CEO of another forward-looking, innovative company is listening to us and saying, ‘You know what, if New Jersey works for Quest, then I’ve got to look there, too.’” Murphy spoke of the density of the talent pool in the northern region of the state, proximity to New York City, view of the city and transportation in the area. Murphy also hinted at his upcoming economic development trips abroad.

Quest Diagnostics announced today it has acquired specialized anatomic pathology service firm PhenoPath. The deal, whose terms were not disclosed, continued a buying spree for Quest this week, which included the acquisitions of Oxford Immunotec's US lab business and fertility and fertility diagnostics services firm ReproSource. PhenoPath is based in Seattle and provides anatomic pathology, molecular oncology, and other services such as genetic sequencing and genomic tumor analysis. It will operate as part of AmeriPath, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quest.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, and Regional Medical Center Health System (RMC), a regional health care provider for a five-county service area in northeast Alabama, are teaming up to enhance the quality and value of diagnostic services to patients and their doctors through a new partnership agreement under which Quest will provide supply chain expertise, as well as perform laboratory reference testing.

Since Colorado legalized marijuana, the state has become a popular destination for so-called weed tourists. Johnny Welsh, a writer and bartender in Frisco, Colorado, a Rocky Mountain town near Vail, remembers when he would have the entire fall off work. "The restaurants closed, and you could travel the world," he told MoneyWatch, somewhat wistfully. Nationwide, the rate of workers testing positive for drugs has increased over the past decade, according to Quest Diagnostics, a major drug-testing laboratory. It has also risen in states that have made the drug legal. But the rate of increase has been about the same across the two categories, said Barry Sample, Quest's senior director for science and technology.

Quest Diagnostics today announced it has acquired fertility diagnostics service firm ReproSource for an undisclosed amount. Based Woburn, Massachusetts, ReproSource provides services such as ovarian health and recurrent pregnancy loss assessments, as well as implantation failure and semen quality. According to the company's website, it purchased the assets of "the largest fertility-focused laboratory in the United States" in 2008, and since then it improved and expanded its core services while establishing partnerships with laboratory, academic, and industry players in the US and globally.

If voters decide in November to legalize marijuana for recreational use, pot-smoking job seekers and employees beware. Legalization will not protect job applicants or employees who test positive for marijuana use on pre-employment drug tests or random workplace drug testing. Yes, you can still get fired or not be hired for a positive test. Unlike alcohol, where Breathalyzer tests can show the exact level in a person’s blood, there are few available tests that show the level of impairment for marijuana. Saliva swabs and urine samples only show if THC, the psychoactive component in marijuana, has been used over the last few days, said Dr. Barry Sample, of Quest Diagnostics, a New Jersey company that analyzes millions of workplace drug tests every year, not a person’s level of impairment at the time of a test. Tests of hair samples will show THC levels going back as long as 90 days.

There has been a trend a recent years for hospitals and health systems to sell their lab outreach businesses, often to one of the two largest commercial reference labs, Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, and then outsource their lab services to the same company. There is some early evidence that this trend may now be reversing.

There’s no argument that health care is changing: from service-based to value-based care, and from a supplier-centric to a patient-centric model. Both regulatory and patient pressures are pushing for better efficiency, better outcomes and simply better care. These pressures are moving the industry to be more open to the adoption of new technologies, tools and, in many cases, solutions that automate manual processes. These tools are powered by a specialized rocket fuel known as patient data. But in the rush to digitally capture and make the best use of patient data, two primary challenges have arisen. First, how do we break down the information silos that currently exist within our health care system? Secondly, while breaking the silos, how do we protect sensitive patient information as we share it across the health care ecosystem? There is also a large number of other tech-centric businesses and organizations that are currently utilizing blockchain to generate innovative solutions. Even large health care giants such as Humana and Quest Diagnostics have begun their own ventures into the world of blockchain.

As someone who has studied use and misuse of prescription opioids and other drugs for much of my career, I know drug misuse can happen to anyone. I have had friends, relatives and neighbors pulled into misuse, which includes substance-use disorders and other dangerous behaviors, such as drug combining. And I am not alone. A recently released statewide poll found that 1 of 3 adults in Texas knows someone who has been addicted to prescription painkillers. McClure is the director of medical affairs for Quest Diagnostics , the world’s leading provider of diagnostics information services, including in clinical drug monitoring.

Cleveland Clinic's 16th annual Medical Innovation Summit, scheduled for Oct. 22-24 in downtown Cleveland, will center around the theme of "Disruption: Reimagining Healthcare."[CR-LF][CR-LF]The summit — organized by Cleveland Clinic Innovations, the system's development and commercialization arm — is anticipated to gather more than 100 speakers, as well as leaders from more than 500 organizations and 20 countries, according to a news release. It will be held at the Huntington Convention Center. According to the release, other featured speakers include Nigel Clarke, vice president of technology and solutions development for Quest Diagnostics.

Two conflicting trends are hitting the United States: a continuing shortage of qualified or willing candidates for truck driving jobs, and the increasing state-level legalization of medical or recreational marijuana. The two trends certainly don’t mix. David Couch, the Little Rock attorney who wrote the medical marijuana amendment voters approved in 2016, doesn’t want marijuana users driving big rigs any more than the most anti-pot politician does.A recent study by Quest Diagnostics, the national drug testing lab service, reported that overall drug use in the tested workforce is down in Arkansas. The national rate held steady at 4.2 percent of the workforce, while the state rate dropped from 6 percent in 2016 to 5 percent in 2017. The study measured individual drugs as well.

As we first reported last May, Holmes founded the start-up Theranos and boasted her technology could take a pin-prick worth of blood from the finger and perform hundreds of laboratory tests. It was, she claimed, "the most important thing humanity has ever built." At its zenith, Theranos was worth nearly $10 billion and Elizabeth Holmes became the youngest, self-made, female billionaire in the world. Today, she and her company's one-time president stand criminally charged by the U.S. government of perpetrating a "multi-million dollar scheme" to defraud investors, doctors and patients. Elizabeth Holmes built her company Theranos on this invention she named the Edison. A miniaturized blood analyzer that would disrupt the $60 billion lab testing industry dominated by giants LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics.

Although more than half of Americans misuse prescription drugs, the percentage that did so has held steady for four consecutive years, according to a new analysis. Meanwhile, though, there has also been a surge in the use of illicit drugs and medicines obtained without a prescription among patients being treated for substance use disorders.

The countless drops of sweat covering their drenched bodies are indicative of the hard work put in by the New York Giants throughout the hot and humid summer. Those same droplets were also analyzed and examined to help individual performance. The Giants used a new sweat test this year to make sure their players were properly hydrated and prepared for the rigors of summer. It should continue to help them throughout the season. It’s not a completely new idea, just a refined version of a sweat test. There are other teams using different variations of this new patch the Giants had analyzed by Quest Diagnostics as part of their Blueprint for Athletes program. This iteration is easier to implement and is believed to be more effective than the previous processes they have tried over the past few years. The hope is that its benefits can stretch throughout the year and provide even the slightest of competitive advantages.

Prescription data alone underestimated how many patients combined opioids and benzodiazepines, an analysis of Quest Diagnostics drug test data indicated. Among a selected sample of patients whose drug test indicated concurrent benzodiazepine and opioid use, 64% had at least one benzodiazepine or opioid that was not prescribed, according to Quest researcher Leland McClure, PhD, and colleagues in a poster presentation at the 2018 PAINWeek conference.

Genomic Vision, a company specializing in the development of diagnostic tests for the early detection of cancers and hereditary diseases, and applications for life sciences research, today announces the second payment from its collaboration with Quest Diagnostics on biomarker identification of currently undetected “2+0” SMA carriers following the Milestone program signed in 2018. A first Milestone (1a) was reached at the end of 2017, resulting in the design and validation of a new GMC covering with higher precision the complex SMA region. The goal of the second Milestone (1b) consisted in performing complementary experiments and analysis on existing samples in order to identify smaller biomarkers for SMN1 cis-duplication potentially leading to SMA diagnostic test.

Quest Diagnostics announced Tuesday it will acquire the US laboratory testing business of Oxford Immunotec Global for $170 million in cash. As part of the definitive agreement reached by the companies, the acquisition will include the T-Spot.TB tuberculosis testing service and the Accutix tick-borne disease testing service provided by Oxford Immunotec laboratories in Norwood, Massachusetts and in Memphis, Tennessee. Oxford Immunotec is headquartered in Abingdon, UK.

More than half of Americans tested by Quest Diagnostics in 2017 misused prescription drugs, a statistic that has remained relatively flat and suggests that medication adherence is more difficult as the opioid epidemic swells. The misuse rate — meaning tests reveal additional drugs (non-prescribed or illicit), different medications than prescribed, or no prescription or illicit drugs — was 52% in 2017 and 2016, and has remained relatively stagnant since 2013, according to Quest Diagnostics' analysis of 3.9 million clinical drug monitoring tests administered between 2011 and 2017.

Hooper Holmes, Inc. d/b/a Provant Health , the largest publicly traded, pure-play health and well-being provider in the U.S., today announced that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Summit Health, Inc., a subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics (“Quest”), the world’s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information, and services. Under the asset purchase agreement, Quest will acquire substantially all of Provant Health’s assets and will continue the Company’s service offerings as it has in the past. Throughout the transaction process, Provant Health will continue to serve its customers, remaining focused on meeting customer and partner obligations in the busy fourth quarter season.

Blockchain technology is currently known for keeping cryptocurrency transactions secure. With adaptations, it may soon be used to keep personal health information more safe and secure, as its name suggests, than ever before. The current model for storing data is by keeping said data stored in one place. For example, a Microsoft Word document is saved to a desktop. While access to that document may be made through the server, even remotely, it is still saved in a single, centralized location. Blockchain is, arguably, the exact opposite.Over the summer, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Optum, Quest Diagnostics and MultiPlan launched a pilot program using blockchain technology to assist payers in tackling mandated provider directories. The program utilizes the technology to reduce costs associated with insurers updating demographic data from providers.

It’s been years since the tobacco industry promised to stop luring young people to smoke cigarettes. Philip Morris International says it is “designing a smoke-free future.” British American Tobacco, likewise, claims to be “transforming tobacco” into a safer product. But while the Food and Drug Administration weighs plans to cut nicotine in cigarettes, making them less addictive, Big Tobacco has been making the most of the time it still has using social networks to promote its brands around the world.

Tom Romeo, general manager of healthcare IT and Quanum Solutions at Quest Diagnostics, said hospitals and health systems must identify the cause of insurance claim denials to ensure proper and timely payment. "Identify the source of denials through reports and discussions with staff, and then prioritize fixing the problem," he told Becker's Hospital Review. "Train staff about these issues and review top denials regularly in meetings with physicians. It's critical to recognize the contribution of every employee in the denial-management process."

As more women put off starting families and U.S. fertility rates drop, helping women assess how much time, and how many eggs, they have left to conceive is a growing business. The market for ovulation tests, fertility monitors and other mail-in home tests to help women up their odds of bearing fruit is exploding. Several startups are selling kits that allow women to test their fertility at home with a simple finger prick. Modern Fertility allows women to send a blood sample drawn by pricking a finger or having blood drawn at a lab and tested at Quest Diagnostics. The at-home test is mailed back and then screened.

A group of newborn infants with genetic disorders that went undetected in standard testing will receive genomic sequencing in a clinical study of its safety and feasibility. The study is led by a team at Tufts University Medical Center in Boston, and conducted at another 5 sites in the U.S., supported by a 5-year, $8 million grant from National Center for Advancing Translational Science, or NCATS, part of National Institutes of Health. The trial is recruiting 400 newborns with potential genetic disorders that were not detected in standard screenings. The infants will receive whole genomic sequencing, as well as targeted genomic tests for 1,722 inherited disorders known to affect newborns, developed with Quest Diagnostics, a nationwide network of medical labs.