Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry

Background:  Precision medicine involves three major innovations currently taking place in healthcare:  electronic health records, genomics, and big data.  A major challenge for healthcare providers, however, is understanding the readiness for practical application of initiatives like precision medi...

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Main Authors: Jay G Ronquillo, Chunhua Weng, William T Lester
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT 2017-11-01
Series:Journal of Innovation in Health Informatics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hijournal.bcs.org/index.php/jhi/article/view/918
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author Jay G Ronquillo
Chunhua Weng
William T Lester
author_facet Jay G Ronquillo
Chunhua Weng
William T Lester
author_sort Jay G Ronquillo
collection DOAJ
description Background:  Precision medicine involves three major innovations currently taking place in healthcare:  electronic health records, genomics, and big data.  A major challenge for healthcare providers, however, is understanding the readiness for practical application of initiatives like precision medicine. Objective:  To better understand the current state and challenges of precision medicine interoperability using a national genetic testing registry as a starting point, placed in the context of established interoperability formats. Methods:  We performed an exploratory analysis of the National Institutes of Health Genetic Testing Registry.  Relevant standards included Health Level Seven International Version 3 Implementation Guide for Family History, the Human Genome Organization Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) database, and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine – Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT).  We analyzed the distribution of genetic testing laboratories, genetic test characteristics, and standardized genome/clinical code mappings, stratified by laboratory setting. Results: There were a total of 25472 genetic tests from 240 laboratories testing for approximately 3632 distinct genes.  Most tests focused on diagnosis, mutation confirmation, and/or risk assessment of germline mutations that could be passed to offspring.  Genes were successfully mapped to all HGNC identifiers, but less than half of tests mapped to SNOMED CT codes, highlighting significant gaps when linking genetic tests to standardized clinical codes that explain the medical motivations behind test ordering.   Conclusion:  While precision medicine could potentially transform healthcare, successful practical and clinical application will first require the comprehensive and responsible adoption of interoperable standards, terminologies, and formats across all aspects of the precision medicine pipeline.
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spelling doaj.art-3a0fac2273fd4ab5b2b7bd27d7a2a1802022-12-21T23:20:54ZengBCS, The Chartered Institute for ITJournal of Innovation in Health Informatics2058-45552058-45632017-11-0124410.14236/jhi.v24i4.918840Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registryJay G Ronquillo0Chunhua Weng1William T Lester2GrinformaticsColumbia UniversityMassachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical SchoolBackground:  Precision medicine involves three major innovations currently taking place in healthcare:  electronic health records, genomics, and big data.  A major challenge for healthcare providers, however, is understanding the readiness for practical application of initiatives like precision medicine. Objective:  To better understand the current state and challenges of precision medicine interoperability using a national genetic testing registry as a starting point, placed in the context of established interoperability formats. Methods:  We performed an exploratory analysis of the National Institutes of Health Genetic Testing Registry.  Relevant standards included Health Level Seven International Version 3 Implementation Guide for Family History, the Human Genome Organization Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) database, and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine – Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT).  We analyzed the distribution of genetic testing laboratories, genetic test characteristics, and standardized genome/clinical code mappings, stratified by laboratory setting. Results: There were a total of 25472 genetic tests from 240 laboratories testing for approximately 3632 distinct genes.  Most tests focused on diagnosis, mutation confirmation, and/or risk assessment of germline mutations that could be passed to offspring.  Genes were successfully mapped to all HGNC identifiers, but less than half of tests mapped to SNOMED CT codes, highlighting significant gaps when linking genetic tests to standardized clinical codes that explain the medical motivations behind test ordering.   Conclusion:  While precision medicine could potentially transform healthcare, successful practical and clinical application will first require the comprehensive and responsible adoption of interoperable standards, terminologies, and formats across all aspects of the precision medicine pipeline.https://hijournal.bcs.org/index.php/jhi/article/view/918informaticselectronic health recordsgenomicsinteroperabilityprecision medicine
spellingShingle Jay G Ronquillo
Chunhua Weng
William T Lester
Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry
Journal of Innovation in Health Informatics
informatics
electronic health records
genomics
interoperability
precision medicine
title Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry
title_full Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry
title_fullStr Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry
title_short Assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty: An exploratory study of the National Institutes of Health genetic testing registry
title_sort assessing the readiness of precision medicine interoperabilty an exploratory study of the national institutes of health genetic testing registry
topic informatics
electronic health records
genomics
interoperability
precision medicine
url https://hijournal.bcs.org/index.php/jhi/article/view/918
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AT williamtlester assessingthereadinessofprecisionmedicineinteroperabiltyanexploratorystudyofthenationalinstitutesofhealthgenetictestingregistry