YouScript Personalized Prescribing System Improves Individual, Population Health; Reduces Healthcare Costs
<0> GenelexJodie Cadieux, 206-826-1930Director of Marketing and Product ManagementorCBCSusan Duensing, 847-639-8300 </0>
– is helping health care providers take a major step toward the realization of personalized medicine at HIMSS 2015, demonstrating its at booth 5220, and how this clinical decision support software integrates with electronic health record (EHR) and other healthcare IT systems at the HIMSS Interoperability Showcase, booth 2084.
A leader in comprehensive medication management and pharmacogenetic testing and analysis, Genelex offers genetic tests that identify how an individual metabolizes most commonly prescribed medications by analyzing variations in liver enzymes that dictate how medications are broken down. YouScript Personalized Prescribing software then evaluates the effect of those variations on the individual’s drug regimen and provides prescribing guidance to physicians.
The term “pharmacogenetics” is used to describe testing for variants in genes that could have an impact on drug response.
Given that an estimated 75 percent of the U.S. population has genetic variations that cause drugs to be metabolized abnormally, the impact of prescribing medications based on pharmacogenetic testing could be enormous.
“With precision, gene-based prescribing, providers can now move beyond the one-size-fits-all prescribing practices of the last century,” says Kristine Ashcraft, Genelex Chief Operating Officer. “Using genetic data and the latest clinical knowledge on drug metabolism, YouScript provides instant, clinically-actionable intelligence about the most effective, safest drugs and doses to prescribe – leading to better care, lower costs, and happier patients.”
At this week’s conference, Genelex is emphasizing the potential of this technology to improve outcomes on multiple levels:
Currently, the FDA has included pharmacogenetic information on the product insert of more than 100 medications known to have drug-gene interactions. Furthermore, the FDA’s guidance to the medical community indicates drug-gene interactions should be considered similar in scope to drug-drug interactions.
The patented YouScript software combines the results of a patient’s genetic test with their current medication regimen. Providers are instantly alerted to drug-drug, drug-gene and drug-drug-gene interactions, all of which could lead to potentially dangerous ADEs. When indicated, appropriate dose adjustments or safer alternatives are recommended.
The YouScript database includes many over-the-counter and recreational drugs, as well as herbal supplements – all of which can interfere with prescription medications. While other types of drug interaction software programs will alert physicians about how two medications could potentially interact, only YouScript takes into account the cumulative effects that combining multiple medications could have.
The software can be used to improve treatment effectiveness and safety for all patients, but is especially impactful in managing medication therapies for patients deemed high-risk (including patients aged 65 and older, those taking five or more medications, and those who have not realized the proper therapeutic effect of a medication). It can also be used practice-wide to measure and manage interaction risk for a patient population.
YouScript analysis can be safely shared via web-based portal, or within a provider’s EHR, population health software, or care management tool, giving access to multiple treating providers and pharmacists without compromising patient privacy.
Dr. Joseph Weidner, MD, a practitioner at Stone Run Family Medicine in Rising Sun, Maryland uses YouScript through the Allscripts™ Professional EHR system. He believes that YouScript helps him treat patients in a more precise way. The Allscripts integration enables this to occur within the workflow of a busy office practice.
“The fact that it completes a practice population risk assessment automatically saves me time, giving me an analysis I wouldn’t have otherwise,” he notes. “Not only can I more precisely determine risks, but the problem of side effects becomes solvable.” In all, he says, the integration of this software with his EHR system enables him to have better judgement at the time of prescribing.
The software complies with HIPPA rules and regulations; the genetic tests are covered by Medicare and most private insurers.
Connecting pharmacogenetic testing to prescription medicine safety and effectiveness has the potential to change the U.S. healthcare landscape.
Drug related problems, such as non-adherence, sub-optimal prescribing, drug ineffectiveness and ADEs, could cost the United States as much as $290 billion per year. , 700,000 ER visits and 120,000 hospitalizations annually are due to ADEs. By reducing ADEs alone, the potential savings are immediate and significant.
Medical professionals are invited to pilot YouScript in their facilities. For information, please visit .
For more information about Genelex and the YouScript Personalized Prescribing System, visit or contact the company by telephone at 800.837.8362 or email at .
Genelex is a pioneer in comprehensive medication management, pharmacogenetic testing and analysis. Its patented YouScript Personalized Prescribing Software is the only commercially-available medication management system to assess the cumulative effect of a patient’s genetics and entire drug regimen. YouScript is an Allscripts Developer Program Approved Application and is used by healthcare providers, clinical researchers and managed and accountable care organizations. Founded in 1987, Genelex is based in Seattle and was one of the first labs to provide pharmacogenetic testing and interpretation. For more information, please go to: or .
YouScript Personalized Prescribing System is a registered trademark of Genelex Corporation.
™Allscripts Professional EHR is a trademark of Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc.