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search in PubMed for a genetic variant that impacts medication effectiveness. Th

ID: 111462 • Letter: S

Question

search in PubMed for a genetic variant that impacts medication effectiveness. Then, consider the ramifications for the provider of using this genetic information in the care and treatment of the patient, as well as its potential impact on the information systems that the provider uses for clinical decision support.

1.Should information systems change to integrate this knowledge into electronic prescribing? Why or why not?

2.How might supporting personalized medicine with health information system technology pose challenges for an organization's health information technology staff? For its health care providers?

Explanation / Answer

1. The computer based electronic transmission, generation and filing of the medical prescription instead of faxed and paper prescriptions is known as electronic prescription. This provides ability to send the accurate, error free and understandable prescriptions electronically from the healh care providers to the pharmacy. This electronic prescribing reduces risks associated with tradition prescription script writing. The knowledge of genetic information should be integrated into electronic prescribing which can be used to improve the effectiveness of care of the patients. It will also help in clinical decision support in personalised medicine for the patient. Personalised medicine is the delievery of health care which is supported by the unique clinical information of a patient eg genetic, genomic, environmental influences and biological characteristics.

2. The supporting personalised medicine associated with health information system technology pose various challenges to the organisations health care providers as well as heath information technology staff. There are privacy and security concerns due to identity theft, hackers, corruption and unauthorised access of patient data. Also installing health information system technology in a hospital or a physician's office is much more complicated. They can also introduce new errors into the system eg if the patient record contains false information they can give serious errors.