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DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2015
Description of Business (Abstract) |
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS | DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Background Quest Diagnostics Incorporated and its subsidiaries ("Quest Diagnostics" or the "Company") empower people to take action to improve health outcomes. The Company uses its extensive database of clinical lab results to derive diagnostic insights that reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. The Company's diagnostic information services business ("DIS") provides insights through clinical testing and related services to patients, physicians, hospitals, accountable care organizations ("ACOs"), integrated delivery networks ("IDNs"), health plans, employers and others. The Company offers the broadest access in the United States to diagnostic information services through its nationwide network of laboratories, Company-owned patient service centers and phlebotomists in physician offices. The Company is the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services, including routine clinical testing, gene-based and esoteric testing, anatomic pathology services and drugs-of-abuse testing, as well as related services and insights. The Company provides interpretive consultation through the organization, with one of the largest medical and scientific staffs in the industry and hundreds of M.D.s and Ph.D.s, many of whom are recognized leaders in their fields. The Company's Diagnostic Solutions ("DS") businesses offer a variety of solutions for life insurers, healthcare providers and others. The Company is the leading provider of risk assessment services for the life insurance industry as well as a leading provider of central laboratory testing for clinical trials (see Note 6 regarding the contribution of the clinical trials testing business to a newly formed joint venture effective July 1, 2015). The Company's diagnostics products business manufactures and markets diagnostic products. In addition, the Company offers healthcare organizations, clinicians and patients robust information technology solutions.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the nature of an entity's business, major products or services, principal markets including location, and the relative importance of its operations in each business and the basis for the determination, including but not limited to, assets, revenues, or earnings. For an entity that has not commenced principal operations, disclosures about the risks and uncertainties related to the activities in which the entity is currently engaged and an understanding of what those activities are being directed toward. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51801978&loc=d3e6003-108592 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51801978&loc=SL51803626-108592 + Details
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