Implementing precision medicine could shift the relationship between health care providers and their patients.
Pharmacogenetics can help revolutionize healthcare
Implementing precision medicine, via pharmacogenetic testing, could change the way healthcare providers and their patients interact. By having information at your fingertips, a pharmacogenetic test result can guide healthcare professionals on what medications can and cannot work based on a patients unique genetic make-up. It changes the relationship to a scientific approach rather then the previous trial and error treatment approach.
When medications work the way the drug manufacturer intended for them to work, you don’t have the guessing game prescribing and re-hospitalizations due to adverse drug events. Patients start to receive therapy, feel better and potentially save money by reducing unnecessary medications.
Precision medicine has been around for decades but it is just now becoming affordable. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) understands that precision medicine can be a cost savings when monitored and used for long term med management.
The healthcare professionals who understand precision medicine and implement it with their patients understand the importance of proper prescribing and the risks involved if a patient is on a medication their body doesn’t metabolize properly.
Pharmacists can work alongside physicians to manage test results and offer ongoing medication therapy management (MTM) services afterwards. The consultant pharmacist can also decipher pharmacogenetic test results to determine whether patients have the proper enzymes to metabolize their medications. When healthcare professionals work together, precision medicine can bring a proactive approach and give healthcare professionals a more “preventative care” approach to patient care.
As healthcare changes, precision medicine can revolutionize how physicians treat patients. Being proactive can save money and give patients a better quality of life.
For more information on precision medicine via pharmacogenetic testing, contact PGx Medical at info@pgxmed.com or 405-509-5112.