Quest Diagnostics, a provider of diagnostic information services has agreed to acquire the outreach laboratory services business of Mercy, an integrated, multi-state health care systems, in an all-cash asset transaction. The aim of the transaction is to broaden access to innovative, quality and cost-effective laboratory services to deliver affordable patient care throughout the Midwest.

“As one of the country’s leading large health systems, Mercy is exiting the physician lab outreach business to sharpen its focus on providing high-quality, equitable care,” said Steve Rusckowski, Quest Diagnostics Chairman, CEO and President. “We look forward to working closely with Mercy to support their lab strategy. As pressures from the pandemic ease, and customer expectations and reimbursement pressures rise, we are talking to more and more top health systems about how Quest can help them enhance the effectiveness of their lab strategies.”

“Mercy chose Quest to provide outreach lab testing because of its record of innovation and efficiency and our shared commitment to providing high-quality, convenient care that is accessible to all,” said Lynn Britton, president and CEO, Mercy. “This relationship gives our patients and providers more convenient locations for sample collection and a significantly lower cost of testing while maintaining the same high quality patients and providers need.”