Quest Diagnostics-Avoid Waiting By Selecting Location or Make an Appointment Ahead

Macrine and I have always gone to have our routine laboratory test ( metabolism panel, urine etc..) at our neighborhood branch of Quest Diagnostics. We do this every quarter prior to our Family Physician Check-up. There are three Quest Diagnostics (QD) locations within a 5-mile distance from our residence. For the last ten years we have been going to the location nearest our residence, which is less than one mile ( Sunrise). Our waiting time averages about 45 minutes to one hour. However, lately the waiting time had gone longer and longer sometimes up to more than 90 minutes depending on the time of your arrival.

Today, we woke up at 6:30 AM and was right at the door of the testing Lab at 7:00AM. I was so shock to see that 20 people are already in line to sign up. I notice that the registration line was so slow, I decided I will try another location about 3 miles ( Mercy Building) away. We were there at 7:15AM. There were two patients ahead of us. The sign up is computerized. I told the front clerk about the Sunrise Office. She told me their branch has usually 6 to 7 phlebotomist and so business is fast. The Sunrise Branch has only 3 to 4 blood suckers, and the sign up is manual. However both branches still asked for your insurance Card every time you have a lab test. We have no appointment but had our lab test was done in less than 30 minutes.

The service will be faster if you make appointment. I tried making an appointment on line, But I did not like the appointment system. It is so archaic and antiquated and very confusing. I often wonder why the Data Based of the Lab is not computerized so that once you check in and gave your insurance card it is on the data base. All the clerk has to do is ask you if your insurance is still the same every time you visit the lab. QD generates more than $7 billion of revenue and can not afford to completely computerized their data base! What a Shame and a good example of poor management! I think the reason for this is the company has no competition, thus no incentive to modernize and spent money for automation. Here's what Wikipedia says about Quest Diagnostics.

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company providing clinical laboratory services with headquarters in Madison, New Jersey. Founded in 1967 as Metropolitan Pathology Laboratory, Inc., it became an independent corporation with the Quest name on December 31, 1996. In addition to the United States, Quest Diagnostics also runs operations in United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico and a laboratory in India and also has collaborative agreements internationally with various hospitals and clinics. It is a member of the Fortune 500 and the S&P 500, with corporate headquarters located in Madison, New Jersey. The company has approximately 44,000 employees, generates more than $7 billion in revenue and offers access to diagnostic testing services for cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease and neurological disorders.