Choosing the right medication at the right dose is extremely important for children. Clinical decision support provided by ActX will allow us to apply pharmacogenomic results alongside clinical information to arrive at the best medication and dose for the patient.
Wilmington, DE (October 15, 2020) -- Nemours Children’s Health System has added the ActX Genomic Decision Support system to its electronic health record (Epic), enabling the use of genetic information to better predict drug response in its pediatric patients. By understanding how a child’s genetic profile may affect drug response, providers can choose safer and more effective medications for patients.
Nemours has integrated ActX Genomic Decision Support within Epic, used in the care of nearly half a million children annually throughout the nation’s only multi-state children’s health system. This integration brings pharmacogenomics to the point of care by enabling real-time checking of each prescription order against the patient’s pharmacogenomic profile. Prescribing providers will be alerted if a drug may be ineffective, may cause an adverse reaction, or requires a dosing change based on the patient’s genetic information, all within the normal prescribing workflow. The initial pharmacogenomic panel at Nemours includes pharmacogenes related to commonly used medications such as certain antidepressants, opioids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.
“Choosing the right medication at the right dose is extremely important for children,” said Pamela H. Arn, MD, Medical Director of Precision Medicine. “Clinical decision support provided by ActX will allow us to apply pharmacogenomic results alongside clinical information to arrive at the best medication and dose for the patient.”
The new platform was initiated at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. Over the coming months, the service will continue to develop across the Nemours enterprise with goals to first expand the scope of practice in the Delaware Valley, then to expand to Jacksonville and Orlando, FL by early 2021. The pharmacogenomics service will also allow for unique research opportunities and collaboration.
“We are excited to partner with Nemours to bring precision medicine and pharmacogenomic decision support into pediatric care,” said Dr. Andrew Ury, CEO of ActX. “The ActX platform will help make actionable pharmacogenomics practical for Nemours’ physicians and their patients."
Nemours’ implementation of ActX within Epic marks a big step toward making precision medicine the norm for its patients.
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