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Retired innovation

This innovation is no longer being updated.

Pharmacogenomics testing for Veterans (PHASER)

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Our goal is to optimize the use of nearly 40 medicines by adjusting prescriptions to a Veterans genetic profile. Using a blood sample, Veterans are tested for 11 different genes that affect medications for mental health, pain, cardiovascular, & inflammatory conditions. Alerts are placed in the medical record to warn a provider during prescribing of a drug-gene interaction & to recommend changes.

Origin:

March 2019, Durham VA Medical Center

Adoptions:

13 successful, 9 in-progress

Awards and Recognition:

FedHealth IT Award

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Overview

The problem

The solution

The results

Diffusion tracker

Does not include Clinical Resource Hubs (CRH)

Statuses

There are no unsuccessful adoptions for this innovation.

Multimedia

Images

Deepak Voora, MD (Director, PHASER program) discusses the pharmacogenomic testing offered through the PHASER program with one of his patients and the first Veteran to be tested under the program. PHASER testing is typically offered by providers during a patient encounter. Results are returned to patients by the PHASER program and stored in the medical record for future use.

Implementation

Timeline

  • Month 1
    Signed letter of commitment
  • Months 2-3
    Kickoff Meeting
    End-to-End Test with Sanford Health (Dry Run)
    PHASER Steering Committee Established
    First Project Plan Review
  • Months 4-12
    Second Project Plan Review (Go-Live +1 Month)
    Primary care clinic deployment
    Behavioral health clinic deployment
    Cardiology clinic deployment
    Oncology clinic deployment

Departments

  • Pharmacy
  • Geriatrics
  • Coronary care unit
  • Education and training
  • Information technology
  • Information management
  • Primary care

Core Resources

Files

Links

Risks and mitigations

Risk Mitigation
Providers will not be sufficiently trained to apply pharmacogenomics test results Provider-friendly interpretation report in VistA Imaging and active, clinical decision support to alert providers at the point of prescribing to the presence of a drug-gene interaction, e-consult with pharmacogenomics trained pharmacist
Insufficient resources to support implementation Funding for operational coordinator, shipping supplies/costs, costs of testing
Patients will not understand risks/benefits of PGx testing Patient-facing educational materials, patient-educator support to directly speak with patients

Contact

Comment

Comments and replies are disabled for retired innovations and non-VA users.

VA User (Case Manager) posted

Jake Cohen requests info on Phaser prgm. Please contact at 843-926-7462

Email

Email with questions about this innovation.

About

Origin story

In 2018, VA and Sanford Health began discussions around a $50 million philanthropic donation to provide pharmacogenomic testing to 250,000 Veterans. The Pharmacogenomics testing for Veterans (PHASER) program was launched by Secretary Wilke in 2019 and has been piloted at 6 test sites. Based on experience/feedback from test sites, PHASER is ready to expand to ... In 2018, VA and Sanford Health began discussions around a $50 million philanthropic donation to provide pharmacogenomic testing to 250,000 Veterans. The Pharmacogenomics testing for Veterans (PHASER) program was launched by Secretary Wilke in 2019 and has been piloted at 6 test sites. Based on experience/feedback from test sites, PHASER is ready to expand to 40 new sites by 2021.

Original team

Deepak Voora, MD

Director, PHASER program

Jill Bates, Pharm.D., M.S., BCOP, FASHP

PHASER Pharmacy Program Manager

Jennifer Chapman

PHASER National Project Manager

Caroline Webb-Wyrosdick

PHASER National Deployment Coordinator

Hope McFarland

PHASER Project Coordinator

Susan Rozelle

Clinical Applications Coordinator

Russell Jacobitz

Clinical Applications Coordinator