Quest Diagnostics

If I could give Quest Diagnostics a thousand negative stars? I would.

Their appointment system is designed to suck hours from your life, just to save Quest a few dollars cost of a receptionist.

My experience was ridiculous.

This was a simple pick-up-a-pee-bottle, and bring it back the next day.

When I got to their office, they told me to visit their kiosk, and get on stand-by and wait for an hour or two. With no chairs left. Or make an appointment for later that day. I have work. I can't.

I had to badger the worker.

"Just bring me the bottle...please?" It took her about 12 seconds.

Well... Whaddaya know? The wait was apparently unnecessary.

But it gets worse. Way worse.

She advised me to bring it back tomorrow morning...as soon as possible.

Unfortunately? That wasn't possible.

You can ONLY make an appointment on-line at their website. There were no available times when I could get free for 2 days.

So I came back early, as a stand-by. 8:00 AM.

When I got there? The automated system gave me a 10:00 AM time. 2 hours away. Again...standing room only. For 2 hours.

Meanwhile? I had to get to work.

So I took the 10 AM time anyway.

OH, WAIT... THAT TIME DISAPPEARED.

The next available time? Now 2:30.

So- I already missing work. Now, I would have to drive BACK to work- then take off early - And drive BACK to Quest once again...

JUST TO DROP OFF A *** CONTAINER!!!

A human could have processed this in about 60 seconds.

"Sure, I'll take that! Just sign right here!"

Instead? Their appointment system is designed to save them 60 seconds, and make YOUR life incredibly inconvenient. In my case? Making me come THREE TIMES, and spend 2 hours, in the middle of the day. FOR A *** BOTTLE RETURN.

Why? To save about $120 bucks a day... For an office that probably nets (judging by the line) about a 2-4 thousand dollars an hour.

I have run offices. I know exactly what this is. A human being could take care of this in about 30 seconds... Instead, this system cost me (and you) hours and hours, to save them that 30 seconds.

Instead of paying a scheduler/receptionist $120 a day? They make YOU jump through flaming hoops, over and over.

That's about one test worth of profit.

I guarantee you- The owners of Quest are making boatloads of cash. Paying a receptionist would be like throwing a deck chair off the Queen Mary. But they don't. Because they don't care about people. They care about money. Exclusively.

I will NEVER use Quest Diagnostics again.

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER.

Did I say "never?" NEVERRRRR!!!

I hope a tornado blows the CEO's house apart, just so he has to pay the deductible, and wait a year to build a new house.

That seems like a fair Karma exchange.

I recently visited your Beverly Hills location at 8501 Wilshire Blvd, and my experience was both frustrating and disappointing. Despite scheduling an appointment in advance, I was forced to wait over an hour past my scheduled time.

This excessive delay was not only inconvenient but also demonstrated a lack of respect for patients' time. Adding to the frustration, the automated kiosk system created an impersonal and bureaucratic atmosphere, reminiscent of a DMV visit. While automation can streamline processes, it should not come at the expense of basic customer service. The absence of human interaction and clear communication only made the experience more frustrating, especially for those who had taken the time to schedule in advance.

This visit left me with the impression that this location is poorly managed and does not prioritize patient care. I strongly urge you to address the long wait times and improve communication with patients to enhance the overall experience.

Based on this visit, I would hesitate to return to this location for future lab work and will consider other options unless improvements are made. Sincerely, Oliver Steinberg

I was sent to Quest by my doctor for a routine blood draw.
This was the worst blood draw experience you could imagine and should never happen if personnel are trained properly and following protocol.
The nurse worked very fast so I didn't have time to react to the very large needle I saw before it was in my arm. I had the worst searing pain and burning feeling when she pulled needle out.

It took me a few minutes to catch my breath and stop my tears.
Pain was so bad around insertion site that night I couldn't sleep even on maximum strength Tylenol.
Next day I told medical professional all my symptoms - searing/burning pain, bruising, extreme tenderness up and down my arm far from insertion site and I had symptoms of a blown vein.
A week later I was still unable to use my arm or manage the pain by maximum dose Tylenol so I went to Urgent care and got a diagnosis of Phlebitis and a better treatment plan including compression and Naproxen.
Phlebitis was caused by Quest nerve using too large a needle - how large? 13-14 gauge by my observation and investigation. As a researcher familiar with needle sizes up to 18G, I went searching for what needle I saw and determined most likely the purple hub, ~1.5mm inner diameter, ~2 mm outer diameter was a 13G. Usual would be a 20-22G.

Now that explains why 2 weeks later I'm still nursing my arm - unable to use my arm at work or home, still taking pain meds. Also I learned from the Urgent care NP they chose the basilic vein which is known to be more painful, easier to cause damage to nerve, tendons, artery that are very close instead of more usual median cubital vein.
Second most frustrating piece, Quest has the worst follow up system for complaints - I made repeated attempts to contact Quest by email and then by phone.

They closed my complaint ticket complaint ticket without follow-up and did not follow up in timeframe they said.
I finally got number of Quest supervisor at the location and she was at first instant that they would use 21G needle and then horrified as I describe my experience to learn that protocol was breached.
Further details now that it's been 2 months and I'm still in severe pain and cannot use my left hand.
3/12 documented poor circulation, swelling, pain in left arm, and weakness, tingling, and cold in left hand
3/13 diagnosis changed to superficial thrombophlebitis after confirmation by Doppler US of basilic vein entirely thrombosed and uncompressible.
Recommended do another 6 weeks of home treatment before I go back in for follow-up.
Follow-up this week 4/24 - still having pain, tingling, swelling, weakness. Severity of symptoms a variable with weather - in heat I cannot use left arm/hand to hold a glass of water, but in cold on better day, I can lift as much as a small glass of water to my lips once.

There are many reasons why I have a low view of Quest Diagnostics:

1. When I attempted to call to question a bill listed on the bill itself, two times on the front and once on the back is a marketing number that will not allow the caller to proceed without speaking to somebody about a medical home device. I had to Google the client services number to speak with someone. This seems very underhanded, and I'm sure there are some consumers that would just agree to the device to get to speak with somebody, only to find out that number can't even help with a billing question.

2. They seem to bill the correct insurance information on some lab work and provide the wrong information on others.

3. They billed me for a test that is actually contracted and agreed-upon not to be billed via the contract with my insurance.

4. The representative I spoke to didn't seem to have any knowledge of another bill which was submitted, and my insurance paid a portion. She kept insisting they only billed one and that it wasn't covered.

5. On the test she did have a record of, the ID number was typed in incorrectly and she kept telling me I was not covered under the insurance.

Quest lost 5 lab request, 2 blood samples, corporate says they correct their self admitted mistakes and do not, they are impossible to talk with, and you will spend hours trying to and following up to correct their gross incompetence. Their screw-up delayed my being able to get treatment for over a month which is one month off my life now, and I am married with children.

Read reviews everywhere, corporate, some employees, company organization and communication are extremely dysfunctional. My experience and my doctor's office is this is the worst lab ever dealt with constant mistakes made, and they do not know what is going on in their own company and systems. Only lab unfortunately which does the test I need, which is why I had to deal with so much.

THEY HURT PATIENTS WITH GROSS INCOMPETENCE AND ARE UNABLE TO FIX THEIR MANY MISTAKES. I beg you for your own sake find another lab if at all possible this company is totally messed up.