Southeast Michigan Beacon Community to Integrate Laboratory Tests from Quest Diagnostics Into BeaconLink2Health Health Information Exchange

DETROIT, Aug. 21, 2013 -- The Southeast Michigan Beacon Community (SEMBC) today announced that it has named Quest Diagnostics its first provider of diagnostic information services for BeaconLink2Health, SEMBC's Health Information Exchange (HIE). Under the agreement, clinical laboratory test results from Quest Diagnostics will now be accessible through the electronic health records of physicians and other health care providers participating in BeaconLink2Health.

Quest Diagnostics is the world's leading diagnostic information services company, and serves half of the physicians and patients in the United States.

This new capability and relationship makes BeaconLink2Health the first HIE in the state of Michigan to integrate lab results from Quest Diagnostics. As a result of the relationship with Quest, BeaconLink2Health now offers participating health care providers the ability to receive and manage clinical test results through a secure platform that is seamlessly integrated into their individual Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. This capability is designed to facilitate better access to diagnostic information in order to improve quality and care coordination for patients, particularly those who are managed and treated by multiple providers. The collaboration may also help to identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary and duplicative tests. Additional terms were not disclosed.

"We are incredibly excited to make Quest Diagnostics part of BeaconLink2Health's HIE offering to our community of providers," said Terrisca Des Jardins, Director of the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community. "Not only is Quest the world leader in diagnostic services, it has also pioneered a number of connectivity innovations to improve the secure, electronic management of diagnostic data. This relationship is a huge step forward in our efforts to continue to grow a meaningful health information exchange and expand the availability of patient- and physician-centered solutions in the Southeast Michigan region and throughout Michigan."

About the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community
The Southeast Michigan Beacon Community (SEMBC) is one of 17 Beacon Communities established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and administered by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). As part of a larger healthcare revolution, the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community is committed to building and strengthening local health IT infrastructure and testing innovative approaches to make measurable improvements in health, care and cost. For more information, visit sembc.org; follow us on facebook at facebook.com/SoutheastMichiganBeaconCommunity.