formed to determine what is needed to promote standard reporting and incorporation of medical genetic/genomic tests and family health history data in electronic health records. The Workgroup has examined and clarified a range of issues related to this information, including interoperability standards and requirements for confidentiality, privacy, and security, in the course of developing recommendations to facilitate its capture, storage, transmission, and use in clinical decision support. The Workgroup is one of several appointed by the American Health Information Community to study high-priority issues related to the implementation of interoperable electronic health records in the United States. It is also a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Personalized Health Care Initiative, which is designed to create a foundation upon which information technology that supports personalized, predictive, and pre-emptive health care can be built. The inclusion of genetic/genomic information in electronic health records should inform the determination of disease risk, appropriate drug dosing to avoid adverse events, and selection of effective treatment. [1] [2] [3] As clinical applications of this information become more prevalent, genomic technologies will increasingly impact health information technology (IT) platforms, particularly electronic health records (EHR) developed within the health care system and personal health records (PHR) controlled by individuals. Both types of records may include elements of family health history and an individual's genetic/genomic makeup. Innovative strategies are needed to manage the diverse genetic/genomic data required to realize the benefits of individualized approaches to health care. The application of health IT to support the effective integration of genetic/genomic information in routine clinical care will require broad access, appropriate privacy and security measures, and data storage and transmission capabilities to connect the patient, laboratory, clinician, and researcher. As health care providers and consumers use EHRs and PHRs to support health care management and decision-making, there will be an increasing need for standards, best practices, and accepted protocols for efficient test ordering, performance, reporting, and interpretation of genetic information.
REF The Personalized Health Care Workgroup of the American Health Information Community is developing recommendations to facilitate data capture, storage, transmission, and use in clinical decision support, taking into account the issues related to standard reporting and incorporation of medical genetic or genomic tests and family health history data in the EHR.
Advancing personalized health care through health information technology: an update from the American Health Information Community's Personalized Health Care Workgroup.
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA
Computer Science Medicine