Trends in drug testing resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic

The convergence of the opioid epidemic and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created new healthcare challenges. Health systems, from a system- and individual clinician-level, are more important than ever in the pursuit of addressing the epidemic within the pandemic.

In this session, Dr Gudin discusses:

• Recently-published data by Quest that demonstrates decreased drug testing overall, with increased positivity for high-risk drugs and dangerous drug combinations 
• Tools and practices for clinicians to assess and stratify patients for potential prescription drug abuse
• System-level strategies that employ an integrated care delivery approach, including leveraging community and diagnostics partnerships, to support impacted patient populations

Jeffrey Gudin, MD; Executive Director, Medical Affairs, Drug Monitoring & Toxicology

Dr Gudin is an active speaker and advisor whose clinical and research interests include postoperative pain management; opioid abuse, and potential solutions; and increasing clinical awareness of pain assessment and risk management. Board-certified in pain management, addiction medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine, Dr Gudin is also a medical acupuncturist. He serves as co-Editor-at-Large for Practical Pain Management.

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Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves 1 in 3 adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our 47,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives.

 

More information is available at www.QuestDiagnostics.com