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Sonora Quest CEO David Dexter innovating for growth

Sunday, February 18, 2018   |   Category: Media Coverage

source: bizjournals.com

When Sonora Quest Laboratories was formed 20 years ago, it lost $27 million during the first few years of operation.

David Dexter, president and CEO of Sonora Quest, brought the company out of the red. Since then, he has introduced innovations from launching My Lab Request, a patient self-ordered laboratory testing platform, to a new patient financial solution partnership with CarePayment.

Here’s what Dexter sees on the horizon for Sonora Quest:

How has technology changed medical testing, and how will it change in 2018?

Laboratory automation has improved quality and efficiency significantly during the past 20 years, driven by increased microprocessor capability/capacity, particularly in instrumentation and information systems. Technology in medical testing will continue to revolutionize health care in profound ways. Genomic and molecular testing will be key drivers in precision medicine, which will map specific genetic mutations in cancers enabling physicians to treat patients with personalized treatment regimens to improve patient outcomes. Data analytics will support population health, coordinated care, and chronic disease risk management, which will also result in improved patient outcomes.

What technology do you foresee coming to the industry in 2018?

Predictive data analytics will be uniquely paired with historical laboratory data to greatly improve management of unknown population health risk, which will improve patient outcomes and reduce acute care costs for accountable care organizations as they assume risk. A new screening blood test for colon cancer will lead to earlier detection and improved patient outcomes and cure rates. I expect large, digital industry disrupters such as Apple and Amazon to enter the health care market in innovative ways, challenging existing paradigms, especially in consumer driven medicine and portability of electronic health records.

Where do you plan to take Sonora Quest Laboratories in the next 20 years?

Health-care reform will continue at least for the next five years. No one has a crystal ball as to what equilibrium will look like in health care. Sonora Quest Laboratories, Laboratory Sciences of Arizona, and Pathology Specialists of Arizona comprise the largest integrated laboratory network in the U.S. Our business and clinical model has evolved over time and gives us a distinct competitive edge and value proposition, because we serve the entire continuum of healthcare, from acute care to outpatient to outreach to direct to consumer. Regardless of how health care changes over the next 20 years, I’m confident that our value proposition, a strong commitment to innovation, and our ability to deliver an exceptional customer experience will continue to drive our success.

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