Quest Diagnostics, the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pack Health in an all-cash equity transaction. Pack Health is a patient-engagement company that helps individuals adopt healthier behaviors to improve outcomes.
Pack Health specializes in comprehensively addressing chronic conditions and comorbidities that are influenced by mental health, lifestyle behaviors, access to care and social determinants of health (SDOH). The company employs certified health coaches trained across 30 chronic conditions who engage, motivate, monitor and support individuals through a virtual engagement platform providing personalized content. With clients that range from health plans to pharmaceutical companies, Pack’s services include medication adherence coaching for pharmaceutical companies’ patient education programs, diet and exercise coaching for health plans focused on improving population health and quality metrics, and community resource outreach to address SDOH, such as food insecurity and transportation access.
“By adding the Pack Health platform to our Extended Care services, Quest will strengthen our ability to connect diagnostic insights to actions that generate greater value, outcomes and quality, empowering affordable care,” said Steve Rusckowski, Chairman, CEO and President, Quest Diagnostics. “This transaction also builds on our growing expertise in addressing social determinants of health, such as through our Quest for Health Equity initiative, and other programs that help organizations deliver value-based care.”
The acquisition builds on Quest’s 2018 acquisition of MedXM, now Quest HealthConnect, a provider of in-person home-based risk assessment and monitoring services that supplement care delivered in clinical settings. Over time, Quest expects to create new services from these diverse capabilities.
Approximately 90% of the nation’s annual healthcare expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions, according to the CDC. Many of these diseases, including diabetes and heart disease, can be delayed or prevented if caught and addressed early. SDOH can influence early disease detection and management. In August 2020, Quest Diagnostics and its Quest Diagnostics Foundation announced Quest for Health Equity, a $100 million initiative to address and reduce health disparities in underserved communities. The company also helps communities access diagnostic services through a national network of relationships with federally qualified healthcare organizations.