- Technology upgrade will help enhance patient care and facilitate physicians'
move toward clinical integration -
FORT WORTH, Texas, and LYNDHURST, N.J., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
North Texas Specialty Physicians (NTSP) and Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the
nation's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services,
announced today that NTSP physicians will use Quest Diagnostics' Care360
physician portal to better manage patients' laboratory test results,
prescriptions and health records.
NTSP is an independent physician association that provides value-added
services for a collective group of more than 600 family and specialty
physicians in the Fort Worth area. It serves approximately 15,000 patients
every day.
"We believe our use of Care360 for e-prescribing and electronically
accessing laboratory results will help us care for our patients better.
Care360 will help NTSP physicians see and care for patients in a more timely
and effective way," said Tom Deas, M.D., NTSP President.
"Relying on paper documentation to store and share patient information can
lead to wasted time, inefficiency and errors," said Richard A. Mahoney, Vice
President, Healthcare Information Solutions at Quest Diagnostics. "We believe
NTSP will benefit from using Care360 because it allows physicians to easily
share information and adhere to clinical best practices."
Clinical integration refers to a linked network of primary care and
specialty physicians working as a single team to coordinate care for patients.
In a clinically integrated healthcare environment, physicians share clinical
information; coordinate treatment; develop practice protocols; and monitor the
compliance of individuals in the group.(1)
The Care360 physician portal enables doctors to order diagnostic tests and
review laboratory tests 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. Care360 was developed by MedPlus, the
healthcare information technology subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics.
The Care360 physician portal was enhanced with electronic prescribing
services in October 2004 to include a live connection to RxHub, an electronic
exchange for the prescribing industry, that lets physicians view medication
histories for their patients, check pharmacy plan eligibility and formulary
information, and write prescriptions electronically within seconds. More
recently, Care360 established a direct electronic connection to the majority
of retail pharmacies through the SureScripts Electronic Prescribing Network,
enabling physicians to electronically transmit prescription orders.
Care360 is the only tool available from a laboratory provider that offers
doctors a combination of actionable information, including lab results,
pharmacy benefits and other clinical information, through a single log-on to
help deliver better patient care. It can lead to better clinical insights,
faster task completion, and provides physicians with the ability to consult
with other physicians, both within their practice and located elsewhere.
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.
AboutMedPlus
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 NTSP
North Texas Specialty Physicians -- known as NTSP -- is an Independent
Physician Association comprised of over 600 family and specialty doctors
dedicated to delivering the best medical care to the residents of Tarrant,
Johnson and Parker Counties in North Central Texas. Unlike some physician
groups, NTSP is governed by a board comprised solely of local doctors and is
managed by resident health care experts. Since its founding in 1995, NTSP
doctors have delivered high quality medical care to over 15,000 patients every
work day. For more information visit http://ntspmd.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.
(1) Source: Thomas B. Leary, "The Anti-Trust Implications of 'Clinical
Integration': An Analysis of FTC Staff's Advisory Opinion to
MedSouth," http://www.ftc.gov/speeches/leary/eicreview.pdf, p.5.,
April 12, 2002.
SOURCE North Texas Specialty Physicians; Quest Diagnostics
CONTACT:
Laure Park, Investors, +1-201-393-5030,
or Jennifer Somers -
Media, +1-201-393-5700,
both of Quest Diagnostics,
or Chris Gavras,
+1-817-737-3656 of North Texas Specialty Physicians