On May 31, 2022 ConferMED, one of the nation’s leading eConsult companies, reported that it has been awarded a $2.3M grant from the Quest Diagnostics Foundation (Press release, Quest Diagnostics, MAY 31, 2022, View Source [SID1234615401]). The grant will enable ConferMED to enhance its eConsults platform and to provide specialty eConsults to medical providers at Federally Qualified Health Centers in five regions across the U.S.: Dade County, FL; Cook County, IL; Baltimore County, MD; Harris County, TX and Suffolk County, MA.

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ConferMED eConsults address the growing challenge of limited access to specialty care and high costs when patients are referred to providers outside primary care. Using the ConferMED eConsult platform, specialists are able to review cases accurately and quickly with front line providers and provide input and develop the optimal care plan for patients. This process improves chronic disease outcomes, reduces unnecessary emergency room visits and hospital admissions, and prevents long-term complications.

The Quest Diagnostics Foundation, as part of the Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative, is providing a grant to ConferMED to address a leading cause of health inequity: lack of access to specialty care. Q4HE is a multi-year initiative of Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX) and the Quest Diagnostics Foundation focused on providing a combination of donated testing services, education programs, partnerships, and funding to support initiatives to close the gap in healthcare disparities in underserved communities.

Mark Masselli, chair of the ConferMED board and CEO/President of Community Health Center, Inc., commented, "We applaud the Quest Foundation and its Quest for Health Equity initiative for recognizing and generously supporting the need for specialty eConsults for patients living in medically underserved communities. The collaboration between Quest and ConferMED is groundbreaking and will significantly advance the cause of health equity in key locations across the U.S."

Through the grant, ConferMED also will help health centers and specialists with eConsult implementation and integration in addition to providing enhanced technology and interoperability to ensure ease of use for front line providers and staff. "Access to specialty eConsults is more important than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the health inequities for patients in the underserved communities primarily served by community health centers," says ConferMED President and Founder Daren Anderson, MD. "Fewer barriers to specialty care means better patient outcomes and ultimately a healthier community. We are thrilled to be deepening our relationship with Quest to support this work."

"We are proud of this important collaboration with ConferMED that will improve access to critical specialty care services in under-resourced communities," said Ruth Clements, President of the Quest Diagnostics Foundation. "We believe that these services will improve health outcomes and support wellness, which is more important than ever after many have deferred care due to the pandemic."