Practice Transformation
The case for bringing precision medicine into medical practice
Precision medicine isn’t the future of health care; rather, it’s the now. But providers are not yet up to date on how to integrate using genomic information into the workflow. Academic Dr. Joel Diamond of the University of Pittsburgh says precision medicine is poised to make a major impact on care quality outcomes, cost savings, patient experience and physician burnout, but health IT tools need to catch up to bring relevant data and analysis into daily practice. (HealthTech)
Critical differences between MTM and CMM
Medication is the most common therapeutic treatment, but it’s not always effective (and sometimes causes patient harm). Two approaches to manage medications are medication therapy management (MTM) and comprehensive medication management (CMM). In this informative blog, Dr. S. Michael Ross parses the differences between a helpful CMS-defined reimbursement practice (MTM) and the much more advanced, coordinated whole-person approach of CMM. (Cureatr blog)
Evidence & Innovation
HHS: Let’s focus on actionable data
“The power of data…is only possible when data can be translated into actionable information,” said Dr. Mona Siddiqui of the Department of Health and Human Services. She addressed an audience of mostly entrepreneurs and health IT executives at the Health Datapalooza meeting in late March. When health data is translated into actionable information, its power to change the lives of individuals is enormous. (Forbes)
Centene pledges $100 million for personalized medicine
Health plan Centene has pledged up to $100 million over the next 10 years to fund Washington University’s Personalized Medicine Institute. Centene will commercialize applicable innovations that arise from the research. The fact that a health plan has recognized the value of precision medicine research may be an indicator that payers are acknowledging the long-term cost reduction potential of personalized therapies. (MedCityNews)
Policy Solutions
EHR gag clauses stymie safety, effectiveness fixes
Free(er) speech to eliminate “gag clauses” is needed to raise awareness of IT-related issues that can lead to a safety problem. The gag clauses make it illegal for providers to share issues they identify in electronic health record systems. Something as simple as documenting a child’s weight in kilograms instead of pounds can result in a medication dosage error. Responding to provider complaints, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has proposed new rules to ban the gag clauses—which could mean more communication about glitches and quicker fixes. (WBUR)
Alexa is now HIPAA compliant
Amazon released its first applications using its new HIPAA-compliant skills kit. Six voice programs from a range of developers—from Boston Children’s Hospital to health plan CIGNA—will allow voice-activated assistant Alexa to access personal health information. Amazon is hand-picking its early partners for the skills kit, but Alexa can already tell you how to get more information. (STAT News)
Free webinar, April 30: The $528 Billion Opportunity
The GTMRx Institute Learning Network will host two of the researchers who identified the $528 billion opportunity to reduce the overall cost of health care. Lead study author Jonathan Watanabe, Pharm.D., MS, Ph.D., BCGP and co-author Dr. Terry McInnis will explore the direct costs of non-optimized medication use that adds up to a $528 billion every year, and discuss why they believe comprehensive medication management integration offers a viable, cost-effective, scalable solution. Pro tip: Co-author Jan Hirsch, Ph.D., will join Dr. McInnis for a second free webinar May 14, “Acting on the $528B Opportunity,” which will explore training to advance CMM. Register for the free webinars.
Video: Get the medications right for patients today.
This 3-minute video from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy illustrates why we must enable comprehensive medication management in our health system—today. Watch and share and become a part of the movement to get the medications right as a GTMRx Institute Signing Member (free).
