- Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is an emerging field that uses genomic screenings to look at how a patient might respond to medications.
- While PGx offers significant potential to advance patient care and outcomes, adopting new tests and tools in the U.S. healthcare system poses a variety of challenges.
- An analysis by the Center for Outcomes Research & Education (CORE) offers insights for healthcare leaders working to advance the adoption of pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing.
A person’s genetics can play a big role in their response to medications. That’s why pharmacists, clinicians, and other experts see a promising future for the field of Pharmacogenomics (PGx). PGx tests look at how an individual’s genes may impact their response to prescription drugs. That extra information could influence personalized care decisions and improve patient outcomes. However, adopting new tests and tools in the U.S. healthcare system poses a variety of challenges and further research is needed to guide these efforts.
Research and an environmental scan by the Center for Outcomes Research & Education (CORE) offer several key lessons for healthcare leaders.
In this blog post, we offer key takeaways from CORE's analysis. Read on for highlights or download the report by clicking here.
Understanding healthcare providers’ needs
Providence is a not-for-profit healthcare system operating 51 hospitals and 1000 clinics across seven western U.S. states. As part of efforts to expand PGx usage, Providence Genomics partnered with CORE to study needs and barriers around PGx program uptake. CORE’s review of existing research, interviews with subject matter experts, and surveys of pharmacists revealed several key findings, which we've summarized below.
“CORE's in-depth analysis has provided actionable strategies for bringing pharmacogenomic (PGx) into everyday clinical practice and identified areas where PGx can have the greatest impact. We've used CORE's insights to successfully launch two pilots in Southern California, and we aim to expand this personalized care system-wide.” - Lilly Yuan, Pharmacogenomics Pharmacist - Genetics & Genomics Program, Providence.
Uneven adoption and access: Growing evidence shows that PGx screenings can improve medication effectiveness and outcomes. However, the PGx field is evolving quickly, access to these tools is limited, and adoption in clinics and hospitals has been inconsistent at best.
A promising new standard of care: Despite differences in knowledge and buy-in, pharmacists and providers, along with the experts interviewed by CORE, have a generally positive view of PGx. Many believe PGx will be the standard of care for a variety of specialties in the years ahead.
Myriad barriers to use: PGx tests are relatively new, insurance coverage is inconsistent, workflows around PGx are still evolving, and caregiver knowledge varies significantly. These facts underscore the need for training and education on the benefits of PGx, as well as clear guidelines, easy-to-use systems, care coordination, and other supports to integrate PGx effectively.
Healthcare providers must be part of these solutions: Providers, including primary care physicians, must be included in efforts to bring new tools and innovation into practice. Yet they also face barriers related to complexity, clinical capacity, and support. Finding ways to engage them early in the process, including identifying and activating champion-leaders and building robust support teams, can help facilitate uptake and buy-in.
Pharmacists are key: CORE’s report suggests that pharmacists are poised to play a vital role in PGx programs. Pharmacists have high awareness of PGx and bring relevant expertise. Many believe that the use of PGx will continue to grow. They also expect to play a leadership role in that growth.
Conclusion
PGx has great potential to enhance patient care across medical specialties. While PGx uptake has been slow, healthcare stakeholders are optimistic about PGx’s potential. By making PGx testing easy and relevant to patient care, engaging providers and pharmacists, building support systems and buy-in, and tracking progress, healthcare organizations can continue to expand the use of this potentially game-changing tool.
Related resources & information
- CORE Environmental Scan - Understanding the needs of healthcare providers in Pharmacogenomic (PGx) program implementation
- CORE blog: Navigating the Path of Genomic Medicine
- Providence Genomics website
- Providence press release: Whole genome sequencing program shows transformative potential for population health
