by brant bullard | Nov 3, 2015 | News
As we continue to educate and implement our pharmacogenetic program across the country, we want to let you know what pharmacogenetics is not…
Pharmacogenetics is the study of inherited genetic differences in drug metabolic pathways which can affect individual responses to drugs, both in terms of therapeutic effect as well as adverse effects.
What Pharmacogenetics is not:
1) It is not for everyone. While some companies will say you need to test everyone in your entire facility, we disagree. It is our belief that pharmacogenetic testing is only for those with medical necessity. By identifying patients who are currently diagnosed with a disease or a, family history of, currently being prescribed, or previously prescribed any medications in any of one or combination of the following disease state categories:
Neuro: Anxiety, Anti-depressants, Psychosis, or ADHD, Analgesic/Pain (migraine, neuropathic, arthritis, musculoskeletal)
Cardiovascular: Arrhythmia, Hyperlipidemia, Anti-coagulants, Hypertension or Cardiovascular
Thrombophilia: History of clotting issues, stroke concern predication to falls
2) It is not a “tell all” final answer for dosing. Pharmacogenetic testing was designed to be a long term medication management “tool” for healthcare professionals. It is a guide to help with dosing of current medications, and a roadmap for the future. It is a once-in-a-lifetime test that will help in medication management and allows the healthcare team to see into an individual’s body to help determine if that individual can metabolize medications as intended by the drug manufacturer. It helps determine therapy for each patient – individualized care.
3) It is not all the same. As we travel around the country educating healthcare professionals of the tools and resources available, we are finding that not all companies offer the same program. The PGx Medical Metabolic Validation Program is the most easily implemented and has the largest number of genes tested. Both of these are important as you want to maximize this one time test with as much info as you can get, and be able to read it and make sense of how to use it with each resident. Also, PGx Medical will come along side your staff after testing to help interpret and implement results of the testing.
4) It isn’t a way to drain the medicare system. As we educate healthcare professionals, one common question is, “Is this draining the medicare system?” and the answer is no. CMS reimburses 100% for anyone with Mediare B and most private insurance providers cover the program with normal co-pays and deductibles. They reimburse because they see the program as a “cost savings” long term. One month of Abilify alone can be upwards of $1,000/month. And what if a patient doesn’t even have the ability to metabolize the medication? They are getting no therapy from the drug so it is wasteful spending – with no outcome. And most seniors are on approximately 6-8 perscription medications, so it is a cost savings to make sure they are on the proper medications. Not to mention falls, re-hospitalization and other issues related to drug-interactions or being over medicated.
Know what
pharmacogenetics isn’t so you can see and utilize the real benefits and value of this no-cost program.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment for education and implementation, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
405-509-5112
info@pgxmed.com
by brant bullard | Nov 1, 2015 | News
In light of the tragedies this past year around the country, mental illness is a hot topic.
According the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the most recent data shows there have been 39,518 suicides reported making suicide the 10th leading cause of death for Americans. In 2011, someone died by suicide every 13.3 minutes. These statistics are alarming.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness states one in four adults – approximately 61.5 million Americans experience mental illness in a given year. One in 17, approximately 13.6 million live with a serious mental illness sucha as schizophrenia, major depression or bipolar disease.
Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earning per year. And mood disorders such as depression are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the U.S. for both youth and adults ages 18-44.
According to the Washington Post, the mental health-care system in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry that is still not big enough to serve all those who need it. Costs are a big barrier to treatments — but so are attitudes about mental health. New laws might change access to mental health, although significant barriers still remain. Here’s a look at what we invest in the mental health-care system, what that buys us and where gaps in coverage remain.
The United States spends $113 billion on mental health treatment. That works out to about 5.6 percent of the national healthcare spending, according to a 2011 paper in Journal Health Affairs. And those mental health dollars mostly go toward prescription drugs and outpatient treatment, according to Kaiser Family Foundation.
But how do we know if the medications we are giving mental health patients are even working?
Studies show that over 50% of patients have a variant gene that alters the rate of which they metabolize medications.
So what does this mean for mental illness? How do we know if the medications we are prescribing are even metabolizing?
Predicting patient response
Pharmacogenomics is now being used to help identify genes to help physicians improve the selection of medications for patients with depression and other psychiatric disorders. The test is a simple buccal swab of the cheek that is sent to a laboratory to determine how patients will respond to medications. These tests are designed to aid healthcare professionals when treating patients and eliminate the “trial & error” process which may take too long when dealing with mental illness.
Pharmacogenomics is a way to personalize medicine for each individual. It will help identify patients who might experience adverse effects from antidepressants or antipsychotic medications and help improve adherence.
At PGx Medical we work with hundreds of homes, clinics and pharmacies across the country educating and consulting with healthcare professionals regarding our Metabolic Validation Program. Our consultants work alongside healthcare professionals to help them understand test results and implement them into their day to day patient care.
For more information on how you can implement the PGx Medical Metabolic Validation Program into your healthcare setting, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Mediciane
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
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by brant bullard | Oct 27, 2015 | Metabolic Validation Program
So what is your medical plan of action to help reduce falls and unnecessary medications?
As falls in the elderly continue to rise, some senior communities are looking for ways to help reduce those falls and provide their residents with a better, more active, way of life.
During a recent LeadingAge Oklahoma Culture Change meeting, leaders in the industry discussed falls and ways to help prevent them. Members of the Governor’s Task Force on Healthy Aging attended the meeting and discussed lack of sleep and medications as two leading contributors in falls. They also discussed Patient Centered Care and the importance of listening to what the patient is telling you about his or her needs.
Lack of Sleep in Elderly:
There are many things that cause lack of sleep. Alarms, staff interuptions and incontinence, to name a few. Attendees discussed ways to eliminate these things to help residents sleep better and be more active.
Pharmacogenetic Testing:
Medication management was another area they discussed. Making sure your residents are on the right medications and only on medications their body can metabolize and provides them therapy. PGx Medical attended the meeting and spoke to the group about their Metabolic Validation Program, via pharmacogenetic testing. This no-cost program is a great way to provide your residents with individualized care and personalized medicine. The non-invasive buccal swab of the cheek will guide healthcare professionals in dosing residents.
Should everyone be tested? No. Only residents with medical necessity should be tested. Medical necessity is anyone on one or more prescription medications that fall into the area of; depression, anxiety, psych, pain, cardio, anti-coag, ADHD and thrombophilia. Which are common in the senior setting.
Preventing falls not only saves money from re-hospitalization, but it also extends and saves lives.
- About one third of the elder population over the age of 65 falls each year, and the risk of falls increases proportionately with age. At 80 years, over half of seniors fall annually
- Frequent falling. Those who fall are two to three times more likely to fall again.
- About half (53%) of the older adults who are discharged for fall-related hip fractures will experience another fall with in six months.
- Falls are the leading cause of death due to injury among the elderly 87% of all fractures in the elderly are due to falls.
- Falls account for 25% of all hospital admissions, and 40% of all nursing home admissions 40% of those admitted do not return to independent living; 25% die within a year.
By having a Medical Plan of Action in place to help prevent falls in your senior community, that is a big step to healthier, more active seniors. Allowing you to spend more time helping them live out their life with dignity and purpose.
For more information on pharmacogenetic testing, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
Source: learnnottofall.com
by brant bullard | Oct 27, 2015 | Metabolic Validation Program
Have you decided to incorporate pharmacogenetic testing in your day-to-day patient care, but don’t know where to start?
When looking for a partner to educate and implement pharmacogenetic testing into your senior community, pharmacy or clinic, there are three things you should look for.
- How many genes do they test?
- PGx Medical reports on 19 genes and receptor sites giving you the “whole picture” which allows you to make more informed decisions when treating patients.
- Response time:
- We know in a senior community or when dealing with hospice patients, timing is critical. At PGx Medical, test results are back within 48 hours of the time our laboratory receives the sample. Our reports are available on your personal online portal, or printed, whichever you prefer.
- Implementation:
- What good is a test result if you don’t understand it? Our team of consultants will schedule an implementation call or face-to-face meeting with you to discuss test results and allow you to ask questions that will help you implement results with your patients. Once initial implementation is complete, your consultant will follow up with you on a monthly basis to ensure you have everything you need to help serve your patients.
Be sure you ask these important questions when choosing a partner. At PGx Medical, pharmacogenetic testing is all we do. We pride ourselves in being a leader in the industry and we value your input. By listening to what our partners are saying, this allows us to continue to grow and provide healthcare professionals with a valuable tool to guide them in dosing their patients.
And PGx Medical has partnered with leaders in the industry to include, LeadingAge Oklahoma, OFMQ, OAHCP and many others to help educate healthcare providers across the country.
Right Drug, Right Dose, Right Person
For more information, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
by brant bullard | Oct 7, 2015 | News
PGx Medical
Metabolic Validation Program
“Pharmacogenetics (PGx), the study of variations of DNA and RNA characteristics as related to drug response, is one of the most exciting areas of personalized medicine today. The field arises from the convergence of advances in pharmacology (the science of drugs) and genomics (the study of genes and their functions).
Patients typically have variability in response to many drugs that are currently available. It can be difficult to predict who will benefit from a medication, who will not respond at all, and who will experience adverse effects. PGx seeks to understand how differences in genes and their expressions affect the body’s response to medications.
More specifically, PGx uses information (such as DNA sequence, gene expression, and copy number) for purposes of explaining inter individual differences in drug metabolism (pharmacokinetics) and physiological drug response (pharmacodynamics), identifying responders and non responders to a drug, and predicting the efficacy and/or toxicity of a drug.” — Margaret A. Hamburg M.D. Commissioner of FDA
For more information on PGx testing, contact:
PGx Medical
Individualized Care – Personalized Medicine
info@pgxmed.com
405-509-5112
www.pgxmed.com
