Former Chief Policy Advisor to New York Governor David A. Paterson is distinguished vascular surgeon and healthcare policy expert

MADISON, N.J., March 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Quest Diagnostics Incorporated , the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced that Jon R. Cohen, M.D., Senior Advisor to New York Governor David A. Paterson, will join the company as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer on March 30, 2009.

Dr. Cohen has an extensive background in federal and state healthcare policy. He was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2006 when he ran on a platform centered on the healthcare crisis and substantive healthcare reform. Previously he advised Sen. John Kerry on healthcare policy during his presidential campaign in 2004. As Senior Advisor to Governor Paterson, Dr. Cohen was responsible for all policy and strategic planning.

"As our nation embarks on major healthcare reform, diagnostic testing and healthcare IT are increasingly seen as catalysts to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce costs," said Surya N. Mohapatra, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Jon Cohen brings a wealth of experience as a healthcare policy expert as well as a distinguished surgeon and a senior hospital executive to this newly created position of Chief Medical Officer. I look forward to working with him to further our patient-centric strategy and drive growth."

Dr. Cohen has spent more than two decades in the healthcare field. Before joining Governor Paterson as his Chief Policy Advisor, he served as Managing Director, Health Industries Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers. At PwC he was a leader for the national consulting practice with specific expertise on quality of care standards, health information technology, health system network integration and merger strategies, and physician recruitment strategies.

Prior to joining PwC, Dr. Cohen served for six years as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, the nation's fourth-largest nonprofit health system. In that capacity he served as the health system's senior physician with overall responsibility for the professional management of all clinical, educational, research and administrative matters.

Dr. Cohen has held senior professional appointments, including Professor of Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Senior Lecturer at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. In addition to having published more than 100 peer-reviewed professional articles, Dr. Cohen has spoken regularly on health and healthcare issues, authored policy articles for major newspapers and served as a guest commentator on leading broadcast media.

Dr. Cohen holds a B.S. degree from the University of Miami and an M.D. degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center followed by a vascular surgery fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics is the world's 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 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 diagnostic tests and advanced healthcare information technology solutions that help improve patient care.

SOURCE: Quest Diagnostics Incorporated

Web site: http://www.questdiagnostics.com/