NorthShore University HealthSystem Implements ActX Genomic Decision Support Within Epic

SEATTLE, April 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of a ground-breaking effort to make genomic decision support part of routine patient care, NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) of Evanston, Illinois is implementing ActX Genomic Decision Support within Epic.

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The Center for Personalized Medicine's initial focus at NorthShore will be on pharmacogenomics, and will use the ActX Service to enable real-time checking of each prescription against the patient's genetics. Within their normal Epic order workflow, prescribers will receive alerts about potential adverse reactions, drug efficacy or dosing based on the patient's genetics. An embedded Genomic Profile for each patient will also be available within Epic. The ActX platform includes rich clinical decision support content covering comprehensive drug-genome interactions, hereditary genetic risks and carrier status. NorthShore recently established an innovative Pharmacogenomics Clinic that is screening patients for possible reactions to medications based on their genetics. Currently, patients are referred to the clinic for consultations about their test results. By implementing the ActX Service, NorthShore will achieve its goal of making these results accessible and useful for its 2,400 employed and affiliated physicians.

"We are proud that our open web service architecture has enabled important new genomic decision support functionality within EpicCare. We believe that genomics will play a key role in the future of healthcare," said Carl Dvorak, President of Epic.

By giving NorthShore physicians the right information at the right time, Mark Dunnenberger, PharmD, Program Director for Pharmacogenomics at NorthShore, hopes that primary care physicians and specialists alike will use this information regularly to improve patient care.  "From the pharmacogenomics standpoint, our ultimate goal here at NorthShore is to have the care of every patient optimized based on their genetic results. I'm very excited about having the ability to expand outside of our clinic by getting this data into the hands of the everyday clinician," said Dunnenberger.

"We are excited to be working with NorthShore and Epic to bring advanced genomic decision support and personalized medicine to a large group of physicians," said Dr. Andrew Ury, CEO of ActX. "The ActX Platform for Epic helps make actionable genomics, a key part of which is pharmacogenomics, practical for everyday medical practice."

NorthShore's implementation of ActX within Epic marks a big step toward making personalized medicine the norm for its patients. To learn more about ActX, visit www.actx.com.

About ActX

ActX helps physicians make better decisions about medical treatment, using patients' genetic information. Integrated into the physician's software tools and workflow, ActX analyzes the patient's genetic information in real time and alerts physicians about drug-genome interactions, actionable hereditary risks and carrier status. For more information, visit www.actx.com, email [email protected] or call (888) 998-2289.

About NorthShore University HealthSystem

NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) is a comprehensive healthcare delivery system serving the Chicago region. NorthShore employs approximately 10,000 staff and has 2,400 affiliated physicians, and supports teaching and research as the principal teaching affiliate for the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

Contact Information:

Ashley Laabs
Marketing Specialist
ActX
Email
888-998-2289

Colette Urban
Public Relations Director
NorthShore University HealthSystem
Email 
847-570-3144

SOURCE ActX