Quest Diagnostics and Local Chapters of Feeding America, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Federally Qualified Health Centers Team Up to Address the Hidden Pandemic's Impact on Underserved Communities

TAMPA, Fla., July 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services today announced the Tackle Your Testing program to address the health disparities exacerbated by delayed treatment or diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tampa Family Health Centers, a federally qualified health center, Feeding Tampa Bay and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will work alongside Quest to support bay area events starting later this month, followed by similar activations events in Tallahassee and Miami in August and September.

Tackle Your Testing events will kick off Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Seminole Heights Methodist Church in the Seminole Heights district of Tampa and will provide a no-cost, convenient, and confidential opportunities for individuals to receive diagnostic tests.

"In 2020, we saw a sharp decline in new diagnoses for common chronic illnesses, as the pandemic caused many to delay appointments and routine testing," said Dr. Andrew Young, regional medical director at Quest Diagnostics. "These tests can help physicians and patients catch health issues sooner and potentially prevent disease progression."

Tackle Your Testing events will provide diagnostic testing, services and education. Doctors from Tampa Family Health Centers will be on hand to provide consultation and on-site staff can assist in scheduling follow up appointments, answer questions about diagnostic testing.  Attendees may also enroll in the MyQuest™ patient portal to receive test results and track their health history.

Feeding Tampa Bay will provide healthy snacks and information to help attendees understand their options to sign up for programs like the USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to address food insecurity in the U.S. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay will have representatives on site to discuss the many benefits of its mentoring programs, including information on how to enroll children between the ages of 5-13 in the program, and how to begin the enrollment process for those interested in becoming volunteer mentors.

"We are glad to be working with Quest Diagnostics," said Sherry Hoback, president and CEO of Tampa Family Health Centers. "During the pandemic many patients were not seeking the necessary medical care that they should have received to treat their acute and chronic illnesses. As a patient-centered medical home providing healthcare to our community for over 37 years, it is our honor to work with these amazing organizations to re-engage our communities on the importance of their health and wellness."

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back and philanthropist Warrick Dunn is supporting Quest in its mission to connect with and educate at-risk populations about the importance of proactively managing one's health. Warrick will attend select Tackle Your Testing health events in each market. He was awarded the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 2005, the only NFL recognition for both a player's community service and excellence on the field. Warrick Dunn Charities serves 190 single parents and 514 dependents with home furnishings, in 24 markets across the country.

"As a former Florida State University and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, I am very connected to Tampa and Tallahassee as well as the entire state of Florida," said Dunn. "And, as an African American male I am concerned about disparities caused by social determinants of health that were magnified during the pandemic. Working with Quest to help my community tackle their testing feels like an extension of the right thing to do, so I am glad to call attention to this important subject."

Full details for Tampa's upcoming events can be found in the link below and accompanying information for Tallahassee and Miami will be shared in upcoming announcements. For more information, please visit www.TackleYourTesting.com.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.

SOURCE Quest Diagnostics