First-of-its-kind service empowers discreet
and more convenient access to testing and treatment for vaginitis
and similar genital tract infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea,
trichomoniasis and Mycoplasma genitalium
Self-collection option available
at no extra charge at any of Quest's 2,000 patient service centers
with a physician's order or through Quest's consumer-initiated test
platform at questhealth.com
SECAUCUS, N.J., Oct. 15,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:
DGX), a leader in diagnostic information services, today announced
the availability of a new service aimed at increasing convenience
and speed of testing and treatment of several common genital tract
infections (GTIs). Quest is the first laboratory provider to offer
patients experiencing vaginitis and symptoms of similar common GTIs
the option to self-collect a swab specimen on a national scale,
supporting patient care, the drive for greater patient choice, and
empowerment in healthcare.
"Quest is constantly looking for ways to meet the needs of the
communities we serve to empower choice and convenience as well as
better health outcomes. Giving patients the option to self-collect
in our patient service centers will increase access to important
sexual health testing for many," said Kathleen Valentine, Vice President and General
Manager of Women's and Reproductive Health Services at Quest
Diagnostics.
The new offering utilizes the FDA-cleared Aptima® Multi-test
swab for patient-collected vaginal specimens. The FDA cleared the
swab for patient self-collection in clinical settings, such as
those of Quest's patient service centers or in traditional clinical
settings like a doctor's office. It is not FDA cleared for at-home
collection, and self-collection is not intended to replace a pelvic
examination provided by a clinician. Patients should inform their
healthcare provider if they suspect that they are pregnant or if
they have recently had symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease
(such as pelvic pain, pain with sexual intercourse, unusual vaginal
discharge or bad odor).
When testing for genital tract infections in conventional
practice, a healthcare provider collects a specimen from a patient
in their office or clinic and forwards it to a laboratory for
testing. With the new Quest self-collection service, patients with
symptoms may, with an electronically placed physician's order,
vaginally self-collect in a private room at a Quest Diagnostics
patient service center using a simple step-by-step guide.
Collection directions will be provided for self-collections,
however some patients may experience difficulty with
self-collection and may require a visit to their healthcare
provider to assist with the collection. The Quest Diagnostics
patient service center will send the specimen to the testing
laboratory. Test results are provided to the provider and patient
electronically. The provider may review the results and provide
treatment during a separate patient visit and provide further
evaluation as needed. The self-collect option is available at no
extra charge for the patient or health plan.
"Unidentified and untreated GTIs can lead to serious, long-term
health issues, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility,
chronic pelvic pain or problems in pregnancy," said board-certified
obstetrician and gynecologist Damian P.
Alagia, MD, Senior Medical Director, Women's Health, Quest
Diagnostics. "Specimen self-collection has been shown to appeal to
many female patients as an alternative to a provider-performed
collection but with comparable accuracy. I am confident that our
specimen self-collection option will help women feel more
comfortable seeking out the testing they need."
The new collection method may be used for laboratory testing of
six common infections and causes of vaginitis, which affects one in
three women in their lifetime1, including bacterial
vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (yeast infection) and
trichomoniasis. It may also be used to test for similar common GTIs
including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and Mycoplasma genitalium.
Vaginitis is a highly common condition that can cause irritation
and discomfort. It may be due to any number of factors that include
certain sexually transmitted infections and similar genital tract
conditions such as bacterial vaginosis/vaginitis and
candidiasis.
The new offering provides more choice to patients interested in
a discreet method of collection, improves access to testing and
treatment, and reduces pressure on physicians and other healthcare
professionals to accommodate patients requiring urgent evaluation.
This capability comes at a time when emerging solutions allow for
specimen collection in new and various settings, enabling more
accessible care. In a recent survey, 51% of respondents cited
convenience and ease of access as the most important factors in
healthcare decision making.2
For more information on the company's GTI clinical offerings for
physician order, visit www.QuestWomensHealth.com.
Choosing the specimen self-collection option via
questhealth.com
In addition to the physician channel, patients may also utilize
the specimen self-collection option when ordering laboratory
testing for one or more GTIs via Quest's consumer-initiated testing
platform, questhealth.com. Individuals who purchase testing through
questhealth.com are able to discuss test results with a
licensed physician from PWNHealth, an independent, third-party
physician network. In addition, the physician may be able to
provide treatment and prescribe medication for certain conditions
based on test results.
With the availability of the new collection method at Quest's
2,000 patient service centers, several existing
questhealth.com offerings have been updated to include the
option to self-collect a specimen, including the Chlamydia &
Gonorrhea Test, Trichomonas Test, Mycoplasma genitalium
Test, the Basic and Expanded STD Screening Panels, and the recently
introduced Bacterial Vaginosis and Vaginitis Test Panel Tests.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics works across the healthcare ecosystem to
create a healthier world, one life at a time. We provide diagnostic
insights from the results of our laboratory testing to empower
people, physicians and organizations to take action to improve
health outcomes. Derived from one of the world's largest databases
of de-identifiable clinical lab results, Quest's diagnostic
insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire
healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest
Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half
the physicians and hospitals in the
United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand
that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic
insights can inspire actions that transform lives and create a
healthier world. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.
1 Vodstrcil LA, Plummer EL, Doyle M, Fairley CK,
McGuiness C, Bateson D, Hocking JS, Law MG, Petoumenos K, Donovan
B, Chow EPF, Bradshaw CS; StepUp RCT Team. Treating male partners
of women with bacterial vaginosis (StepUp): a protocol for a
randomised controlled trial to assess the clinical effectiveness of
male partner treatment for reducing the risk of BV recurrence. BMC
Infect Dis. 2020 Nov 11;20(1):834. doi: 10.1186/s12879-020-05563-w.
PMID: 33176727; PMCID: PMC7661182.
2 2019 Healthcare Consumer Trends Report
(nrchealth.com)
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SOURCE Quest Diagnostics
