Quest CEO Jim Davis Shares the Future of Diagnostics in Healthcare

Jim Davis with RCB President Chuck Redden and Past President Sanjay Singh

This week the Rotary Club of Birmingham welcomed Jim Davis, President and CEO of Quest Diagnostics, a leader in diagnostic information services that acquired Birmingham-based Pack Health last year.

Davis provided an overview of Quest’s operations, processing approximately two million tests each day for nearly 50 percent of the country’s hospitals and physician’s offices. He explained how Quest was on the front lines of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing test results to 74 million people since March 2020.

“The task that the U.S. Government gave us was really quite clear and simple: How do we test 330 million Americans and how do we do it three or four times a week? It was beyond the capacity that anyone had ever envisioned,” Davis said. “Looking back on it now, the partnerships and the way industry and government came together, I’m very, very proud of that.”

Davis explained how the pandemic fundamentally changed healthcare and they ways it continues to evolve. He explored the possibilities afforded by consumers being enabled to engage in testing outside of traditional provider settings and the ability to meet the needs of populations experiencing disparities in access, testing and treatment.

Davis also discussed the blue zones—or areas of the world where populations routinely live long, healthy, vibrant lives until their natural death. He said preventable factors including diet, movement, sleep, stress and relationships are the keys to achieving optimal health and longevity.

“I believe the health care system in America is the best healthcare system in the world. I think the human condition needs repair because we are taxing the healthcare system way too much, which is what is driving up demand and what is driving up cost.”

Davis highlighted the efforts of Pack Health to provide one-on-one coaching to individuals that perfectly complements Quest’s ability to provide actionable data.

“We believe the combination of data that unlocks insights into what’s going on inside your human body…it’s good enough for about 20% of the U.S. population that will actually act on data,” Davis said. “But in other times, we believe people need hand-holding, coaching, advice, mentoring or just someone to talk to about the challenges they’re having with daily life. We believe that the power of coaching plus data is what ultimately will make a difference.”

About Jim Davis
Jim Davis is CEO and President of Quest Diagnostics, a role he assumed on November 1, 2022, after a gradual leadership transition plan, succeeding Quest’s long-time CEO Steve Rusckowski. Since 2017, Davis served as Executive Vice President for General Diagnostics. In that role, he oversaw Quest’s general diagnostics business, accounting for more than 80% of the company’s $10.8 billion revenues in 2021 and encompassing three-quarters of its employee base. He has compiled a strong record of revenue and earnings growth through strengthening relationships with Quest’s largest health plans and its hospital health system customers. Davis also has been responsible for integrating Quest’s regional lab acquisitions. Since early 2020, he has led and advanced the evolution of Quest’s ESG strategy. Davis joined Quest in April 2013 as Senior Vice President, Diagnostic Services, and he managed a portfolio of businesses and was instrumental in refocusing the business on diagnostic information services. He was then named Senior Vice President of Operations in February 2014. Before joining Quest, he served as CEO of InSightec, Inc., a medical device company. Prior to that, Davis held senior management positions in a two-decade career in General Electric’s aviation and healthcare businesses, including leading GE’s MRI business for five years. Before GE, Davis led the development of strategic and operating initiatives for clients of McKinsey & Company, Inc. Davis holds a master’s degree in management from the Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a master’s degree in science from MIT and a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Michigan.