by PGx Medical | Jan 16, 2017 | Pilot Program
Aligning Rx with DNA
The Pharmacogenetics Program is specifically designed for providers serving older adults in any setting. The program is a simple three-step process that facilitates DNA testing and aligns medications with the resident’s personal DNA. Polypharmacy is an ever-increasing problem in long term care and pharmacogenetics testing is a tool that can be utilized as part of a quality assurance and process improvement (QAPI) program. Additional benefits of pharmacogenetic testing are reduction of medications, reduced trial and error, less med pass time for nurse, and overall medication cost reduction.
by PGx Medical | Jan 11, 2017 | Pilot Program
Here in the West, we live in a culture that loves its medicine—just turn on the TV and you’ll see a drug ad at nearly every commercial break. We’ve become so impatient for a cure to every symptom imaginable, and hope our doctor will just prescribe whatever’s been working for everyone else. But the reality is, even with the great strides we’ve made in pharmaceutics, there isn’t a pill for everything – including old age.
Dr. Linda Shell MA, RN
Polypharmacy, the prescribing of 5+ medications. Polypharmacy is a problem in America and stems from the drastically different reactions each of us can have when taking the same drug. It’s not a new issue—polypharmacy has been a silent killer for years, draining funds from Medicare and dismantling the treatment plans of millions as it becomes a habit ingrained in our culture, especially in eldercare. We’ve become resigned to the falsehood that more drugs mean better treatment, but there’s something putting an end to that.
It’s called
pharmacogenetics: the study of genetic differences in humans that affect how each person responds to drugs. Pharmacogenetics has been studied for over 30 years, but it’s practical applications become most widespread in the medical community in recent years. Identifying precisely which chemicals interact with which genes, medical professionals can map specific drugs to the DNA profiles of individual patients to find the prescription that will work best for them.
This mapping process is critical for patients being prescribed the most consequential and care-intensive classes of drugs, such as cardiovascular, chemotherapy, and neurological drugs. Without pharmacogenetics, doctors may be blindly trying several different drugs in these classes until one seems to work the best, greatly increasing the risk of an adverse drug effect. Not to mention, the circumstances of these drug uses are relatively urgent. Gene-to-drug mapping ensures that a patient is prescribed one that metabolizes at the right speed and delivers the intended effect, avoiding those risks and saving precious time in treatment.
In the long term, we hope to see pharmacogenetics take more of a priority in prescriptions of all drug types as we recognize the financial benefits of pharmacogenetics. Prescribing drugs that more effectively treat a patient’s conditions and the symptoms manifested by them cuts down on ordering multiple prescriptions. Additionally, a drug that achieves its purpose more quickly saves the time and money a less fitting drug would cost in continuing care.
If you were trying on a rock climbing harness in preparation for an ascent up a dangerous cliff, wouldn’t it be common sense to pick a harness that fits you specifically? That’s what pharmacogenetics is finally doing for the drug industry; it’s high time we minimize the risk we’ve been taking with prescription drugs and become intuitive in our medicating.
by PGx Medical | Jan 11, 2017 | Pilot Program
Currently enrolling provider organizations and communities in a Person Centered Care Pharmacogenetics Pilot Program.
Dr. Linda Shell RN (LindaShell.com), in conjunction with PGx Medical (PGxMed.com) are currently enrolling aging services communities in a Person-Centered Care Pharmacogenetic Pilot Program.
Pharmacogenetics, a simple one-time diagnostic lab, covered by Medicare B, assists providers in aligning medications with a person’s DNA.
Genetic testing has been used extensively in patients with arthritis, anticoagulants, and cancer for many years to assist in personalizing medications, reducing costs and minimizing side effects.
The pilot offers long term care communities – including independent, assisted, skilled, memory care, and home health a streamlined program for implementing pharmacogenetics. The pilot goal is to demonstrate the ability to improve quality, reduce costs and maximize care of older adults through the use of pharmacogenetics.
According to the NIH 50% of nursing home residents take 9 or more medications per day (2016). Dr. Shell states, “as a gerontological nurse, one of my concerns has been the prevalence of polypharmacy. The risk for side effects increases when a patient has more than nine prescriptions.”. The problem is often related to comorbid conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive lung disease, and hypertension requiring multiple medication management. In long term care, medication-related problems currently cost $177.4 billion a year (ascp.com). The problem of polypharmacy can lead to interactions between multiple medications resulting in serious harm. Some medications increase the risk of confusion, falls, and behaviors in the cognitively impaired. With over 43.1 million adults 65 and older, research indicates personalized medications play a role in improving the quality of life.
Along with anti-psychotic medication monitoring, updated CMS regulations coming in 2018 increase the scrutiny of medication review. A simple, straightforward solution is needed – one that offers providers an effective tool that aligns prescribed medications to the unique needs of each resident.
Collaborating in this pilot program is PGx Medical, a leading supporter and provider of pharmacogenetic testing in older adults. Their team is knowledgeable and uniquely qualified to assist providers in the process of pharmacogenetic testing. They have spent years educating healthcare professionals on the benefits of pharmacogenetics, how it impacts current medications and is a roadmap for the future.
For more information on this pharmacogenetics pilot program, contact, Bill Shell at bill@legacymarketservices.com or 952-960-0806, or visit www.LindaShell.com/pharmacogenetics.
by PGx Medical | Nov 7, 2016 | Pilot Program
Pharmacogenetic Testing Now Available ~ LeadingAge MN
Dr. Linda Shell RN, in conjunction with PGx Medical announces launch of a pilot program for pharmacogenetics testing in aging services.
Dr. Linda Shell RN, in conjunction with PGx Medical, this week launched a new pilot program for pharmacogenetics testing in aging services. Pharmacogenetics, a simple one-time diagnostic lab covered by Medicare B, assists providers in aligning medications with a person’s DNA.
Genetic testing has been used extensively in patients with arthritis, anticoagulants, and cancer for many years to assist in personalizing medications, reducing costs and minimizing side effects.
The pilot offers long term care communities, including independent, assisted, skilled, memory care and home health, a streamlined program for implementing pharmacogenetics. The goal is to demonstrate the ability to improve quality, reduce costs and maximize care of older adults through pharmacogenetics.
According to the National Institutes of Health, 50 percent of nursing home residents take nine or more medications per day.
“As a gerontological nurse, one of my concerns has been the prevalence of polypharmacy. The risk for side effects increases when a patient has more than nine prescriptions,” said Dr. Linda Shell, RN. “The problem is often related to comorbid conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive lung disease and hypertension requiring multiple medication management.”
The problem of polypharmacy can lead to interactions between multiple medications resulting in serious harm. Some medications increase the risk of confusion, falls and behaviors in the cognitively impaired. Along with anti-psychotic medication monitoring, updated regulations from the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services in 2018 will increase the scrutiny of medication review.
For more information, visit www.LindaShell.com/pharmacogenetics.
by PGx Medical | Nov 2, 2016 | Pilot Program
Aligning Rx with DNA – Serving One Resident at a Time
Dr. Linda Shell RN, in conjunction with PGx Medical announces launch of a pilot program for pharmacogenetics testing in aging services.
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Effective immediately: Dr. Linda Shell RN (LindaShell.com), in conjunction with PGx Medical (PGxMed.com) announces launch of a pilot program for pharmacogenetics testing in aging services. Pharmacogenetics, a simple one-time diagnostic lab, covered by Medicare B, assists providers in aligning medications with a person’s DNA.
Genetic testing has been used extensively in patients with arthritis, anticoagulants, and cancer for many years to assist in personalizing medications, reducing costs and minimizing side effects.
The pilot offers long term care communities – including independent, assisted, skilled, memory care, and home health a streamlined program for implementing pharmacogenetics. The pilot goal is to demonstrate the ability to improve quality, reduce costs and maximize care of older adults through the use of pharmacogenetics.
According to the NIH 50% of nursing home residents take 9 or more medications per day (2016). Dr. Shell states, “as a gerontological nurse, one of my concerns has been the prevalence of polypharmacy. The risk for side effects increases when a patient has more than nine prescriptions.”. The problem is often related to comorbid conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive lung disease, and hypertension requiring multiple medication management. In long term care, medication-related problems currently cost $177.4 billion a year (ascp.com). The problem of polypharmacy can lead to interactions between multiple medications resulting in serious harm. Some medications increase the risk of confusion, falls, and behaviors in the cognitively impaired. With over 43.1 million adults 65 and older, research indicates personalized medications play a role in improving the quality of life.
Along with anti-psychotic medication monitoring, updated CMS regulations coming in 2018 increase the scrutiny of medication review. A simple, straightforward solution is needed – one that offers providers an effective tool that aligns prescribed medications to the unique needs of each resident.
Collaborating in this pilot program is PGx Medical, a leading supporter and provider of pharmacogenetic testing in older adults. Their team is knowledgeable and uniquely qualified to assist providers in the process of pharmacogenetic testing. They have spent years educating healthcare professionals on the benefits of pharmacogenetics, how it impacts current medications and is a roadmap for the future.
For more information on this pharmacogenetics pilot program, contact, Bill Shell at bill@legacymarketservices.com or 952-960-0806, or visit www.LindaShell.com/pharmacogenetics.
