Genomics Program to Use Predictive Analytics for Preventive Care

April 21, 2021 - NorthShore University HealthSystem has launched a system-wide genomics program that will leverage predictive analytics to improve care for hereditary cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and rare diseases.

NorthShore is partnering with Sema4 on the effort, which will help clinicians identify and treat diseases at an early stage.

“Unlocking the power of genomics in patient care requires us to make information available in a way that clinicians and patients can easily act upon over time,” said Peter Hulick, MD, director of the Mark R. Neaman Center for Personalized Medicine at NorthShore.

“The partnership between NorthShore and Sema4 will allow us to get even better at delivering on the promise of genomic insights to prevent, detect, and manage diseases through one of the largest and most comprehensive personalized medicine programs in the country.”

The program will leverage a platform that combines clinical information and genomic analysis to understand how genetic variants will impact patients’ chances of developing disease. The program will also help providers determine the most appropriate treatment options, leading to more personalized and holistic care plans.

NorthShore will leverage disease models developed by Sema4 to get more comprehensive views of patients and how to best diagnose or treat them.

With many patients delaying preventive care due to COVID-19, personalized genomic insights are only growing more relevant to clinical decision-making.

“By narrowing the significant gap between available biomedical data and health and disease information, we are enabling NorthShore clinicians to make real-time use of the latest insights that allow for highly informed decisions at the point-of-care and improved health outcomes,” said Eric Schadt, PhD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sema4.

“NorthShore has done what few health systems in the country have – brought the potential of genomics from the research labs to the front lines of care. Through the implementation of Sema4's innovative health intelligence platform in a clinical-care setting, we are together advancing industry standards.”

The program will also make it easier for NorthShore patients to understand the implications of genomic results. Providers will use innovative digital tools and resources to discover personalized insights that can shape the care of multiple conditions throughout the lifetimes of patients.

Additionally, patients will have the opportunity to consent to share de-identified data to improve research programs focused on enhancing the understanding of genomics-guided care.

NorthShore is launching the new program in conjunction with an investment to engage culturally diverse communities. With a gift from the Swedish Hospital Foundation, NorthShore will subsidize genetic testing costs for patients who do not have financial resources to pay for testing.

The health system has already offered the program to patients of Swedish Hospital, a safety net hospital located in a federally designated medically underserved area. Through the program, NorthShore expects to better understand the views of diverse patient populations toward precision medicine.

The partnership between NorthShore and Sema4 will expand on NorthShore existing clinical genomics offerings – already the largest in routine primary care in the US. In 2019, the health system announced that it would integrate genomic testing results into the EHRs of more than 10,000 patients.

“We’re excited about the ability to improve patient care by incorporating genomics information at the health system population level,” Hulick told HealthITAnalytics at the time.

“Genomics is one part of assessing a patient’s health risk profile. This information needs to be incorporated with other health information about the patient to gain a truly holistic picture. Then, a tailored, personalized screening and prevention plan can be outlined for the patient.”

Through this new program, more than 1,000 providers and approximately 300,000 NorthShore patients will have access to genomic insights.

“Precision medicine represents the next major transformation in health care, allowing us to predict and prevent disease, to identify the right treatment at the right time, and to empower patients and clinicians to make better choices about health,” said J.P. Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer of NorthShore.

“This advanced genomics and health intelligence initiative with Sema4 builds on our long history of pioneering technology and genomic advancements to improve patient care – and aligns with our strong commitment to improving the accessibility of our best-in-class care to address documented disparities in health care services, disease prevalence, and outcomes.”