HealthyQuest Employee Wellness Program Features Unique
Combination of Diagnostic Screening, Lifestyle Assessment and Health Education
LYNDHURST, N.J., May 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Quest Diagnostics
Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the leading provider of diagnostic testing,
information and services, announced today that the National Business Group on
Health, an association of 266 large U.S. employers, has awarded its 2007 Best
Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Gold Award to the company for its
HealthyQuest employee wellness program. This year's Gold Award improves on the
Silver Award, given to the company in 2006 and 2005.
HealthyQuest gives individuals the information they need to make
healthcare and lifestyle choices leading to better health. The program is
based largely on the company's Blueprint for Wellness(TM) risk assessment
service, which uses diagnostic screening to produce a personalized report
identifying health risks and opportunities for improvement through different
lifestyle choices. Between 2005 and 2006, Quest Diagnostics' HealthyQuest
program helped nearly nine percent of its participants to lower substantially
their health risks by adopting more healthful behaviors, such as quitting
smoking and exercising more frequently. Today, more than 65 percent of
participants have achieved an assessment rating that indicates a low risk of
developing major health problems.
"We are very pleased to honor Quest Diagnostics for their support and
dedication to providing a lifestyle improvement program for their employees,"
said Helen Darling, president of the Business Group. "Quest Diagnostics'
leaders know the importance of supporting their employees' efforts to choose a
healthful way of life."
"HealthyQuest has helped many of our employees to improve the quality of
their health," said David W. Norgard, vice president, human resources, Quest
Diagnostics. "Through HealthyQuest, employees learn how to adopt and maintain
new behaviors leading to a more healthful lifestyle. Many of these behavioral
strategies, such as tobacco cessation and stress management, can help them to
prevent health risks from escalating into serious health conditions. Quest
Diagostics' approximately 2,100 patient service centers and expertise as the
nation's leading diagnostic testing provider uniquely position us to implement
successful wellness initiatives, both for our own employees as well as for the
employees of our Blueprint for Wellness risk assessment clients."
About HealthyQuest
The goal of HealthyQuest is to educate employees about their individual
health risk factors and to encourage the adoption of new behaviors that will
lead to better health. HealthyQuest encourages 41,000 employees and their
spouses or domestic partners to participate in the company's Blueprint for
Wellness health risk assessment service, which Quest Diagnostics also provides
commercially to other businesses.
Through Blueprint for Wellness, participants complete a comprehensive
survey each year to assess the impact of lifestyle choices, such as diet,
stress management, driving and exercise habits, on health quality. Unlike most
corporate employee wellness programs, Blueprint for Wellness also employs
diagnostic screening for diverse medical conditions. The tests include Cardio
CRP(TM), a blood test that can detect slight elevations of C-reactive protein
associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Based on the results of the screening tests, biometric measurements and
lifestyle survey, the company provides each participant with a confidential
and personalized 20-page report that comprehensively analyzes her or his
health status. The report also recommends specific healthcare and lifestyle
strategies that participants can implement to lower their health risks and
improve overall health. Armed with this information, HealthyQuest participants
can access the initiative's diverse educational and support programs, which
are managed by hundreds of employee volunteers, to make lifestyle changes.
Programs include physical fitness, weight, and stress management resources,
tobacco cessation counseling, and efforts to improve the healthful quality of
food choices at onsite cafeterias and vending machines.
Since the program began, the number of participants to conduct a Blueprint
for Wellness assessment offered through the HealthyQuest initiative has grown
to approximately 30,000.
"The results have been phenomenal. Colleagues tell us that due to
HealthyQuest, they are making important lifestyle changes, such as exercising
regularly for the first time. Others credit the program with anticipating
major medical problems, like diabetes, and helping them to halt destructive
behaviors, such as smoking," said Fred R. Williams, director, health benefits
management, Quest Diagnostics.
Williams and Dori Bontempo-Ziegler, program manager, HealthyQuest,
accepted the award for the company at a ceremony held yesterday afternoon in
Washington, D.C. The awards ceremony concluded a two-day Leadership Summit
hosted by the National Business Group in the nation's capital.
About the National Business Group on Health
The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit,
membership organization of large employers devoted exclusively to finding
innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health care
and related benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares best
practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related
paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members provide
health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their
families. For more information about the Business Group, visit
www.businessgrouphealth.org.
About Blueprint for Wellness
Quest Diagnostics' Blueprint for Wellness health-risk assessment service
for businesses is designed to improve employee health and well-being and to
control healthcare costs. Blueprint for Wellness provides a personal
assessment report detailing health risks and opportunities for improvement
based on the combined results of a survey of lifestyle and health habits, more
than 30 laboratory screening tests, and biometric measurements. Quest
Diagnostics' 2,000 patient service centers and expertise as the nation's
leading diagnostic testing provider uniquely position the company to provide
screening services for employers. For more information, visit
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/employersolutions/health_and_wellness_es.html.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated is the nation's leading provider of
diagnostic testing, information and services, providing insights that enable
healthcare professionals to make decisions that improve health. 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 the leading provider of esoteric testing, including gene-based
medical testing, and provides advanced information technology solutions to
improve patient care. For more information, visit 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 2006 Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
SOURCE Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
CONTACT: Investors, Laure Park, +1-201-393-5030, or Media, Nancy
Fitzsimmons, +1-201-393-5700, both for Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
Web site: http://www.questdiagnostics.com
http://www.businessgrouphealth.org