So you are thinking about implementating pharmacogenectic testing in your senior community. Who should you test?
Recently as we have been educating healthcare professionals regarding pharmacogenetic testing, we have been told, “Our physicians don’t want to blanket test. And the last company that was in here said that is what we need to do.”
Blanket testing your residents is not the proper protocol by either PGx Medical or CMS. Pharmacogenetic testing is for residents with medical necessity. In other words, anyone who is on a prescription drug, poly-pharmacy, physician is considering placing them on, or has a comorbidity associated with one or more of the following panels has medical necessity (depression, anxiety, psych, cardio, pain, anti-coag, ADHD or thrombophila).
As a healthcare professional, you can treat symptoms and you can “react” to side effects. But how can you be certain if a medication is, or is not working? Or even has the possibility to work before prescribing? If a person tells you they are in pain, you can assume their pain medication isn’t working. You might even throw something else on top of the prescription they are already taking to help ease the pain. By doing this, you are creating a cascading effect that could possibly turn toxic if they are a poor metabolizer of the medication. So how would you know if a cardio medication isn’t working? Or a psych medication? Sometimes you don’t…until it’s too late.
Testing all residents in a senior community isn’t the answer. Testing residents who are on multiple medications but don’t show any symptoms is what we call, Metabolic Validation. You are validating that the medications they are taking are working…or are not working. But you are putting together a medical plan of action.
This once-in-a-lifetime test can be used not only to validate the medication the resident is currently taking, but it gives you pinpoint accurate options for future prescribing.
The PGx Medical Metabolic Validation Program gives healthcare professionals a guide, or roadmap of medications that will metabolize in each individual resident. Allowing the physician to know ahead of time what medications have the ability to metabolize allowing for pinpoint accurate prescribing and confirmation of current regimen of medications.
So what if your phyician only wants to test residents on an “as needed” basis?
Testing “as needed” usually means you have exhausted all efforts. You’ve tried the trial-and-error process and that hasn’t worked. Now testing is your last resort.
That is exactly what you are trying to avoid. Residents in senior communities sometimes don’t have the luxury of waiting for their medications to work, their mobility, and quality of life depends on it. So if you test them prior to the fall, prior to the re-hospitalization and prior to the adverse drug event – you have happier and healthier residents, billable beds and staff that can spend more time making life more enjoyable rather than dealing with behavioral issues.
PGx Medical is known for our continuing education. We want to make sure you understand the program before you test your residents and we are there on the back-end to assist you in implementing results.
If you are interested in more education, having PGx Medical speak at your next event, or doing a webinar for your healthcare team, let us know. Our job, is to make your job, easier.
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
405-509-5112
info@pgxmed.com