SureScripts, the nation's largest network provider of electronic prescribing services, and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated , the nation's leading provider of diagnostic laboratory testing, information and services, announced today that Quest Diagnostics' Care360 physician portal has established a direct electronic connection to the majority of U.S. retail pharmacies through the SureScripts Electronic Prescribing Network.
Quest Diagnostics is the first laboratory company to connect to the SureScripts Electronic Prescribing network. Care360 physician portal customers can now electronically respond to prescription renewal requests, minimizing the amount of time spent phoning and faxing pharmacies in response to prescription renewal requests. SureScripts' network enables the secure, reliable transmission and delivery of electronic prescription orders and refill authorization requests between computers at pharmacies and computers at the physician's office.
"Quest Diagnostics has been a long-standing leader in the delivery of diagnostic testing services and is now an established leader in electronic laboratory test orders and results retrieval," said Kevin Hutchinson, president and CEO of SureScripts. "We are pleased to see Quest Diagnostics apply the same leadership to the area of healthcare information technology and applaud the commitment of Quest Diagnostics to provide their physician clients with access to the most relevant tools for improving the prescribing process and the quality of healthcare."
The Care360 physician portal enables physicians to order diagnostic tests and review laboratory results online; prescribe medication at the point of care; view clinical and administrative information from multiple sources; file documents received electronically or in hard copy into a health record; and share confidential patient information with medical colleagues in a manner that is consistent with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) privacy and security requirements. The Care360 physician portal was developed by MedPlus, the healthcare information technology subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics.
In three easy steps physicians can create and send online prescription orders with the Care360 physician portal to the majority of retail pharmacies in the nation. Today, over 85% of the retail pharmacies in the United States have completed the testing and certification process to connect to SureScripts' network and one in three retail pharmacies are already live on the SureScripts network.
"We are excited to be the first laboratory company to connect to the SureScripts Electronic Prescribing Network," said Richard A. Mahoney, Vice President, Healthcare Information Solutions at Quest Diagnostics. "In addition, we are pleased to offer Care360 users a more efficient process for responding to prescription refill authorization requests."
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics is the leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services that patients and doctors need to make better healthcare decisions. The company offers the broadest access to diagnostic testing services through its national network of laboratories and patient service centers, and provides interpretive consultation through its extensive medical and scientific staff. Quest Diagnostics is a pioneer in developing innovative new diagnostic tests and advanced healthcare information technology solutions that help improve patient care. Additional company information is available at: http://www.questdiagnostics.com/.
The statements in this press release which are not historical facts or information may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to be materially different. Certain of these risks and uncertainties may include, but are not limited to, competitive environment, changes in government regulations, changing relationships with customers, payers, suppliers and strategic partners and other factors described in the Quest Diagnostics Incorporated 2004 Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
About MedPlus
MedPlus, the healthcare information technology subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics, is a leading developer and integrator of clinical connectivity and healthcare data management solutions that foster better patient care and improve business performance for healthcare institutions, physicians and patients. The company's ChartMaxx and Care360 solutions efficiently and securely collect, store, manage and integrate clinical information within an organization, enterprise, practice or community. ChartMaxx, the award-winning electronic patient record solution, has been implemented in more than 100 hospitals and clinics with over 115,000 clinical and administrative users. Care360 is a patient-centric physician portal providing a network of over 50,000 physicians and their staff with tools to improve patient care and overall office efficiency. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at http://www.medplus.com/.
About SureScripts
SureScripts, the largest network provider of electronic prescribing services, is committed to building relationships within the healthcare community and working collaboratively with key industry stakeholders and organizations to improve the safety, efficiency and quality of healthcare by improving the overall prescribing process. At the core of this improvement effort is SureScripts network, a healthcare infrastructure, which establishes electronic communications between pharmacists and physicians and enables the two-way electronic exchange of prescription information. More information about SureScripts is available at http://www.surescripts.com/.
SOURCE: Quest Diagnostics Incorporated; SureScripts
CONTACT: Laure Park (Investors), +1-201-393-5030, or Jennifer Somers
(Media), +1-201-729-8386, both of Quest Diagnostics; or Tammy Lewis of
SureScripts, +1-914-400-4376, tammy.lewis@surescripts.com
Web site: http://www.questdiagnostics.com/
http://www.surescripts.com/