As a 60-year-old woman sat and did her crossword puzzle, the rows and columns began to rhythmically move up and down on the page. She described what she was seeing as “shimmering, like watching a ping-pong ball move back and forth.” Each episode lasted a few seconds and occurred as often as every 30 minutes throughout the day. History of … Read More
New research shows YouScript cuts ER visits, hospitalizations
What if an under-used type of genetic testing combined with state-of-the-art clinical decision support software could cut ER visits by more than half and reduce hospitalizations by a third in the elderly? New research has found that the YouScript Personalized Prescribing System, combining pharmacogenetic testing and patented medication management software, can do just that. Preliminary data from a soon-to-be-published study … Read More
Your HSA and you: A flexible way to cover medical expenses
You’ve likely heard the term “HSA” used when talking about health insurance plans. But what exactly is it, and what do those three letters stand for? HSA stands for “health savings account.” It’s a savings account that’s often created in connection with a high-deductible health insurance plan and is designed to help you pay medical expenses. Generally, any adult covered … Read More
October: Now is the time to get informed about breast cancer
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S., meaning now is the time to learn more about the disease, the genetic component to a common breast cancer medication and steps women can take to detect the disease early. Breast cancer strikes about one in eight women in the U.S. and is the second leading cause of cancer death in … Read More
Genelex COO to speak at 7th annual precision medicine conference
Genelex COO Kristine Ashcraft will be one of dozens of speakers at the seventh annual Personalized and Precision Medicine Conference, an official satellite event of the American Society of Human Genetics, in Baltimore this October. Ashcraft will discuss studies and pilots showing financial and clinical improvements that get the attention of busy risk managers and how precision medicine and pharmacogenetic … Read More
The Pharmacist’s Corner: Understanding Opioid Effectiveness and Adherence Using Pharmacogenetics
By Swan Lin, PharmD Candidate, and Valerie Fishbeck, PharmD A patient walks up to the pharmacy counter with two new prescriptions for the opioid oxycodone, also known as Oxycontin. One is for a long acting form of the medication while the other is for a short-acting form; prescribing both is common pain management strategy. The patient had previously been … Read More
New financial analysis reveals significant savings realized from CYP2C19 testing
Twenty lives and $440,000 over a year. For every 1,000 patients. That’s what CYP2C19 pharmacogenetic testing could save if used to help prescribe clopidogrel (Plavix), prasugrel or ticagrelor to specific cardiac patients. A budget analysis found that a genotype-guided approach for acute coronary syndrome patients (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for one year saved 20 lives and $444,852 in … Read More
Professor spearheads pharmacogenomics learning program for pharmacists
Professor David Kisor saw a need for more pharmacogenomic education for pharmacists, and he wanted to fill it. Dr. Kisor, PharmD, serves as professor and chair of pharmaceutical sciences at Manchester University’s Pharmacy Program, in Fort Wayne, Ind. He’s long been interested in the field of pharmacogenomics, or how individual genetic differences affect drug response, and has written extensively on … Read More
Illinois hospital system launches personalized medicine program
Personalized medicine can mean many things to many people. To the healthcare professionals at NorthShore University HealthSystem, it means a comprehensive approach to patient care that takes into account individual DNA and family medical history. Earlier this year, the four-hospital network in Illinois announced a personalized medicine program that “utilizes an individual’s health history and DNA to better predict, prevent … Read More
YouScript 8.0 brings user-sourced improvements to award-winning personalized prescribing software
By Sarah Trowbridge Users asked, and YouScript Personalized Prescribing Software delivered. The end of July saw the launch of YouScript 8.0, which brings new features and improvements to software functionality, usability and content based on feedback from the healthcare providers who have made the software part of patient care. The update coincides with a complete redesign of the YouScript … Read More