Physicians can now order the Shield blood test through Quest’s network of nearly 650,000 clinician and hospital accounts, patient service centers, and in-office phlebotomists.
Guardant Health’s Shield blood-based colorectal cancer screening test is now available for physician ordering through Quest Diagnostics’ nationwide network, the companies announced March 10, giving clinicians a new avenue to access the only blood test with full Food and Drug Administration approval as a primary colorectal cancer (CRC) screening option for average-risk adults aged 45 and older.
Under the strategic collaboration, providers who already order lab testing through Quest can access Shield directly via their existing Quest account and electronic health record. Blood draws can be conducted at any of Quest’s approximately 2,000 patient service centers or through its approximately 6,000 in-office phlebotomists across the US, according to a release from Guardant Health.
“Activating our strategic collaboration with Quest marks a pivotal milestone in broadening access to Shield and empowering primary care physicians across the country to bring the lifesaving advantages of early detection to their patients with just a blood draw,” says AmirAli Talasaz, co-CEO of Guardant Health, in a release. “Shield’s innovative technology supported by Quest’s vast, nationwide infrastructure will strengthen our ability to fundamentally transform colorectal cancer screening by equipping doctors with a quick, easier screening option patients are far more likely to complete.”
Addressing a Persistent Screening Gap
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US, yet more than 54 million people do not complete recommended screening, in part because they find colonoscopy and stool-based tests unpleasant or inconvenient, according to the release. The five-year survival rate reaches 91% when the disease is caught in early stages.
Shield aims to lower that barrier by requiring only a blood draw. According to Guardant Health, 93% of patients completed the test in the first 100,000 Shield tests ordered—a screening adherence rate the company says represents a significant improvement over other test types.
Quest provides healthcare connectivity solutions to nearly 650,000 clinician and hospital accounts annually in the US. As part of the arrangement, Quest’s national commercial sales team will actively educate primary care physicians about access to the test.
Coverage and Guideline Recognition
Shield is covered by Medicare, Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, and TRICARE, and is commercially available across the US, according to the release. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recently included Shield in its updated CRC screening guidelines, which Guardant Health says paves the way for improved patient access and additional major clinical guideline inclusions.
ID 194091214 © Chon Kit Leong | Dreamstime.com
