Novation awards Genelex Group Purchasing Agreement for Pharmacogenetic Testing and Precision Medicine Software

Novation, the nation’s largest healthcare services organization, has awarded  an agreement to Seattle-based Genelex to offer pharmacogenetic lab testing and precision medicine solutions that can help pharmacists and other healthcare providers improve patient care and reduce health care costs.

Annually, more than 8.6 million adverse drug events are reported in the U.S.  Pharmacogenetic testing allows physicians to identify patient drug metabolizing gene variants to determine the appropriateness and dosage of many commonly prescribed drugs.

Genelex’s YouScript Personalized Prescribing Software analyzes genetic data and helps doctors and pharmacists identify patients that will benefit from genetic testing and those at greatest risk for potentially dangerous interactions. The YouScript software also allows providers to tailor medication regimens based on a patient’s unique DNA in addition to the cumulative impact of all of the medications and herbals they are taking.

“The YouScript software represents the next evolution in medication management for doctors and pharmacists,” says Brian Romig, Novation’s vice-president contract and program services. “The ability to use a patient’s genetic code to determine drug interactions and assist in medication management will provide the members and affiliates we serve an important tool to ensure patient safety and quality outcomes.”

More than 20 percent of hospital re-admissions are due to adverse drug reactions (a type of adverse drug event, also sometimes simply called a side effect). Some of these are due to individual genetic variations. Given that an estimated 90 percent of the U.S. population has genetic variations that cause drugs to be processed abnormally, the impact of prescribing medications based on pharmacogenetic testing could be enormous.

“With precision, gene-based prescribing, providers can now move beyond the one-size-fits-all prescribing practices of the last century,” says Kristine Ashcraft, Genelex Chief Operating Officer.  “Using genetic data and the latest clinical knowledge on drug metabolism, YouScript provides instant, clinically-actionable intelligence about the most effective, safest drugs and doses to prescribe – leading to better care, lower costs, and happier patients.”

Novation is the only GPO in the industry that has an agreement with Genelex. The agreement will make pharmacogenetic testing and the YouScript software available to the more than 100,000 members and affiliates Novation serves nationwide. 

About Genelex
Genelex is a pioneer in comprehensive medication management, pharmacogenetic testing and analysis. Its YouScript Personalized Prescribing Software is the only commercially-available medication management system to assess the cumulative effect of a patient’s genetics and entire drug regimen.  YouScript is an Allscripts Developer Program Approved Application and is used by healthcare providers, clinical researchers and managed and accountable care organizations. Founded in 1987, Genelex is based in Seattle and was one of the first labs to provide pharmacogenetic testing and interpretation. For more information, please go to: www.genelex.com or www.youscript.com.

About Novation, Recipient of the Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Inside Certification
Novation is the nation’s leading healthcare services company, focused on revolutionizing operational performance for more than 100,000 members and affiliates of VHA Inc., UHC, Children’s Hospital Association and Provista LLC. Novation’s progressive approach to cost performance, data and intelligence, and integrated advisory solutions helps health care providers envision and advance new models of cost-effective, high-quality care. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Novation is committed to the highest standards of ethical behavior and twice has been honored with the Ethisphere Institute’s coveted Ethics Inside® Certification, and has been named four years consecutively to Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list. To learn more about Novation, please visit novationco.com and follow @NovationNews on Twitter.