November 2024
Discoveries, trends, and discussions in diagnostics
Welcome to the November issue of Diagnostics Dialogue, where you can get up to speed on the most important discoveries, trends, and discussions in medical diagnostics. Continue reading to learn more.
1) November is American Diabetes Month®: Let’s work together to identify patients at risk earlier
2) Improving glycemic control: Update to HbA1c screening policy, new T1D guidance
3) Raising awareness of men’s health issues this Movember®
4) Talk about prostate cancer risk
5) Raise the bar on TB testing with blood-based IGRA testing
6) Help patients celebrate the holidays safely with respiratory combination testing
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November is
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November is
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Let’s work together to identify patients at risk earlier
In 2021, 38.1 million adults age 18 years or older—or 14.7% of all US adults—had diabetes,1 and its prevalence may increase by 54% to more than 54.9 million Americans by 2030.2
These statistics emphasize the importance of identifying patients at risk for diabetes earlier. In recognition of American Diabetes Month, we’re highlighting 2 important policy and guideline updates that happened in 2024 that remove barriers to testing.
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updated their diabetes screening policy to cover HbA1c testing
- The American Diabetes Association® published new guidance for monitoring patients with T1D
Read the article below for more insights.
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Better outcomes |
Better outcomes |
Improving glycemic control: Update to HbA1c screening policy, new T1D guidance
To help address the growing number of diabetes cases—1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year3—leading organizations have revised their policies and guidance to help clinicians more easily identify at-risk patients earlier.
The CMS now recognize hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing (CPT® 83036) as a covered diabetes screening test using ICD code Z13.1 for Medicare and Medicare Advantage patients. Screening is also covered if your patient
- Is 65 years of age or older
- Is overweight
- Has parents or siblings with a history of diabetes
- Has a history of gestational diabetes or delivered a baby weighing more than 9 lbs
What testing is covered?
- Blood glucose testing
- HbA1c testing
Discussing the importance of insulin resistance
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In a recent podcast, Quest experts Kenneth French, senior clinical consultant, and Dr Maeson Latsko, clinical and education specialist, explored insulin resistance and highlighted tools, including the Cardio IQ® Insulin Resistance Panel with Score, that can help identify diabetes risk early, enabling actions that may prevent or even reverse the onset of this chronic illness. |
The ADA presented new developments for early risk monitoring of type 1 diabetes (T1D)
An international consensus provided insights into how healthcare professionals can improve patient care for individuals with autoantibodies in early stage T1D.
Guidance and insights include
- Clear, actionable advice on how to follow up during the early, preclinical stages of T1D
- Specific advice to care for children, adolescents, and adults (including educational and psychosocial advice)
- Emphasis on the benefits of early detection of T1D, including reduced risk of diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis, increased planning and preparation time, and the opportunity to consider research aimed at delaying and preventing T1D
Quest offers a comprehensive range of testing, including a new T1D panel, that can help you manage your patient’s diabetes, no matter where they are on the care continuum.
Raising awareness of men’s health issues this Movember®
Each November, thousands of people worldwide grow moustaches to raise awareness of men's health issues such as mental health, testicular cancer, and prostate cancer—the most common cancer in men in the US.4
Known as Movember® after the charity behind the global initiative, this widespread fundraising campaign provides essential resources, sparks crucial conversations, and has even contributed to the development of diagnostic tests and treatments. By raising awareness and promoting early screening, Movember underscores the importance of timely action in addressing men’s health issues.
Read the article below about tests that can assist with screening, diagnosis, and management of prostate cancer, including an IsoPSA® assay.
Talking about prostate cancer risk
Prostate cancer affects approximately 1 in 8 men during their lifetime, with risk escalating as men age.4 This underscores the critical importance of initiatives like Movember and regular discussions between men and their healthcare providers.
The American Cancer Society recommends patient/provider discussions about screening options based on age and risk factors4
- Age 50 for men at average risk of prostate cancer who are expected to live at least 10 more years
- Age 45 for men at high risk of prostate cancer, including all Black men and any man with a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer before age 65
- Age 40 for men at even higher risk, including men with more than one brother or both a father and brother who had prostate cancer, and men who carry a pathogenic mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2
Quest offers tests that can assist with screening, diagnosis, and management of prostate cancer, including an IsoPSA test that can effectively differentiate between high-grade prostate cancer and low-grade prostate cancer/benign conditions.
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Better experiences |
Better experiences |
Raise the bar on TB testing with blood-based IGRA testing
85% of tuberculosis (TB) cases are asymptomatic,5 making frontline healthcare providers imperative to curbing the TB crisis with screening.
Blood-based IGRA testing offers highly accurate, objective results faster than the century-old Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST), which requires multiple patient visits and carries a false-positive rate of up to 40%.6
Blood-based IGRA tests offer improved accuracy and a low rate of false positives.7 Plus, IGRAs require just 1 tube, 1 draw, and 1 visit, which can save time for providers and patients.
Quest is the only lab to offer a choice of IGRA blood tests for TB. Learn more about our T-SPOT®.TB and QuantiFERON® tests.
Help patients celebrate the holidays safely with respiratory combination testing
With the holiday season upon us, more large gatherings can mean an uptick in respiratory illnesses such as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), influenza A or B (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Expectations are that the upcoming season will have a similar number of combined hospitalizations due to COVID-19, flu, and RSV compared to last season.8 While these infections can present with similar symptoms, the treatment for each is different. That's why it's important to test for each of these illnesses at the same time to make a differential diagnosis—especially when RSV is suspected in high-risk patient populations.
Our respiratory molecular combination testing is convenient and efficient, using a single specimen to test for common respiratory pathogens.
Distinguishes between COVID-19, influenza A and B, RSV, and other respiratory pathogens with just 1 swab
Eliminates the need for multiple tests or patient visits—helping to speed up the time to a diagnosis
Helps you determine the appropriate care pathway for your patients
Reduces diagnostic uncertainty and can help guide early treatment management decisions9
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Removing traditional barriers to testing |
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Removing traditional barriers to testing |
Removing traditional barriers to testing |
Provide answers to patients at risk for HIV
While HIV infections have been steadily decreasing10—thanks to HIV testing and increases in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prescriptions—about 40% of new HIV infections are transmitted by people who are unaware they have HIV.11
Diagnosing HIV quickly and linking people to treatment immediately are crucial steps to reducing new HIV infections.
According to the CDC12:
- Everyone age 13-64 should be tested at least once
- People at higher risk of acquiring (or exposure to) HIV should be tested at least annually
- Sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (eg, every 3-6 months)
As we look toward World AIDS Day in December, we are committed to providing the solutions—from routine screening to treatment monitoring—that contribute to the collective action needed to accelerate HIV progress.
Quest offers a comprehensive set of HIV diagnostic and screening tools, so you can help all your patients make confident, informed decisions wherever they are in the care continuum.
Achieving the Quadruple Aim in your practice
Our purpose is to support you and your patients with leading services, patient experiences, and innovative testing that can help you provide clarity to the constant changes and challenges we’re seeing in healthcare today.
About Diagnostics Dialogue
In our conversations with providers across the country, we hear that you are facing many different constraints that make delivering care challenging. We’re here to help you navigate the uncertainty and deliver better health. With a broad test menu spanning 3,500+ tests and consultations from our medical staff of over 700 MDs and PhDs, we empower healthcare providers to create healthier communities, one patient at a time.
Read past issues of Diagnostics Dialogue and learn what we’re doing every day to improve outcomes and accessibility to care for patients.
References
- CDC. Future surge in diabetes could dramatically impact people under 20 in US. December 29, 2022. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p1229-future-diabetes-surge.html
- Rowley WR, Bezold C, Arikan Y, et al. Diabetes 2030: Insights from yesterday, today, and future trends. Popul Health Manag. 2017;20(1):6-12. doi:10.1089/pop.2015.0181
- American Diabetes Association. Statistics about diabetes. Accessed October 22, 2024. https://diabetes.org/about-diabetes/statistics/about-diabetes
- American Cancer Society. Cancer facts for men. Updated October 31, 2023. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/understanding-cancer-risk/cancer-facts/cancer-facts-for-men.html
- Williams PM, Pratt RH, Walker WL, et al. Tuberculosis—United States, 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(12):265-270. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7312a4
- Shah I, Kathwate J, Shetty, NS. Comparison of tuberculin skin test and QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test in Bacillus Calmette-Guerin-vaccinated children. Lung India. 2020; 37(1):24-29. doi:10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_304_19
- Hartman-Adams H, Clark K, Juckett G. Update on latent tuberculosis infection Am Fam Physician. 2014;89(11):889-896. Published correction appears in Am Fam Physician. 2014;90(7):434. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2014/0601/p889.html
- CDC. 2024-2025 respiratory disease season outlook. August 29, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/cfa-qualitative-assessments/php/data-research/season-outlook24-25/index.html
- Hanson KE, Azar MM, Banerjee R, et al. Molecular testing for acute respiratory tract infections: clinical and diagnostic recommendations from the IDSA’s diagnostics committee. Clin Infect Dis. 2020;71(10):2744-2751. doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa508
- HIV.gov. US statistics. Updated August 15, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics
- CDC. Clinical testing guidance for HIV. September 10, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hivnexus/hcp/diagnosis-testing/index.html
- CDC. Fast facts: HIV in the US. April 22, 2024. Accessed October 9, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
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The CPT® codes provided are based on American Medical Association guidelines and are for informational purposes only. CPT coding is the sole responsibility of the billing party. Please direct any questions regarding coding to the payer being billed.