Quest Diagnostics 2011 Annual Report Download - page 8

companion diagnostics for new therapies that will foster personalized patient treatment. For example, in
2012, the FDA granted our de novo classification petition for our STRATIFY JCVTM Antibody ELISA
testing service. It is the first blood test to be FDA market authorized for the qualitative detection of
antibodies to the polyomavirus JC virus for stratifying risk for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy,
an infrequent but serious brain infection, in patients with multiple sclerosis receiving TYSABRI威,a
therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. STRATIFY JCVTM, which was developed under an
exclusive collaboration for the United States market with the co-manufacturer of TYSABRI威,istobe
performed only at Focus Diagnostics.
We continue to introduce new tests, technology and services, including many with a focus on personalized
and targeted medicine. For example, in 2011, we introduced our AccuType威IL28b, a test designed to aid
in the prediction of patient response to the widely-used peginterferon alpha-based therapy for treating
hepatitis C virus infection. In addition, as an industry leader with the largest and broadest U.S. network
and presence outside the United States, we believe we are the distribution channel of choice for
developers of new tests to introduce their products to the marketplace. Through our relationships with the
academic medical community and pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, we believe that we are a leader
in bringing technical innovation to the market.
•Provide leading healthcare information technology solutions. We provide interoperable technologies that
help healthcare organizations and physicians enter, share and access clinical information without costly IT
implementation or significant workflow disruption, including through our Care360威suite of products and
our ChartMaxx威electronic document management system for hospitals. These solutions offer access to a
large national healthcare provider network, including approximately 200,000 networked physicians and
clinicians using Quest Diagnostics’ Care360 connectivity products. The Care360 products, including
Care360 Labs and Meds, enable physicians electronically to order diagnostic tests and review test results
from Quest Diagnostics and electronically to prescribe medications. Our Care360 EHR product, which is
certified as a complete electronic health record by the Certification Commission for Health Information
Technology, allows physicians to generate a complete record of a clinical patient encounter, automates and
streamlines the clinician’s workflow, and allows for rapid deployment and implementation with minimal
workflow disruption. We believe that these products enhance the value we provide to our customers and
result in increased customer loyalty by providing more convenient ordering and reporting of clinical tests,
greater convenience in electronically prescribing medication and better access to clinical information.
We are a leader in providing patients with tools to manage their healthcare and medical information. Our
automated patient appointment scheduling enables patients to schedule appointments, including via mobile
devices, at times that are convenient for them while reducing or eliminating their waiting time. We also
offer TestMinder威, which sends email reminders to patients who require frequent testing, and Gazelle威,a
secure mobile health platform that allows users to receive their Quest Diagnostics laboratory results,
manage their personal health information, find a Quest Diagnostics location and schedule appointments
directly from their smartphone.
•Continuously drive Six Sigma quality and deliver a positive patient experience. We strive to provide the
highest quality in all that we do. We use Six Sigma and Lean processes to continuously reduce defects,
enhance quality and further increase the efficiency of our operations. Six Sigma is a management
approach that utilizes a thorough understanding of customer needs and requirements, root cause analysis,
process improvements and rigorous tracking and measuring to enhance quality. Lean is a management
approach that seeks to streamline processes and eliminate waste. We also use Six Sigma and Lean
principles to help standardize operations and processes across our Company and identify and adopt best
practices. We believe our use of Six Sigma and Lean results in superior service to our customers and
drives customer loyalty. The patient is at the center of everything we do. Patients have a choice when it
comes to selecting a healthcare provider and we strive to give patients reason to put their trust in us. We
have made significant investments in training our employees to provide a positive patient experience. We
believe that this will drive patient and physician loyalty.
•Expand our diagnostic scope. Technology advances are enabling testing to move closer to the patient and
point-of-care, or near-patient, tests are becoming increasingly available and reliable. This enables more
timely and effective decisions, with the opportunity to improve patient care and reduce medical costs. We
have businesses, including HemoCue, Celera and Focus Diagnostics, which offer diagnostics products,
including point-of-care testing. We intend to expand our product menus and develop novel technology
platforms and systems to meet the needs of our clients. We are well positioned to offer choice and
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