01/28/2022
Increasing Access to Pharmacogenomics Services via a Clinical Chatbot
A multidisciplinary clinical team from Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Personalized Genetic Healthcare (CPGH) and Department of Pharmacy has been awarded a January 2022 Caregiver Catalyst Grant to develop a chatbot that will deliver education and document patient decision-making regarding pharmacogenomics (PGx) testing.
PGx testing is a key component of personalized medicine that identifies genetic variants impacting how a person responds to certain medications, such as antidepressants. PGx test results combined with other clinical factors, such as age and concomitant drug use, can help healthcare providers choose medications and doses for their patients with less of a trial-and-error process.
“Modeling has shown that PGx testing can help reduce disease burden and result in medical cost savings for patients diagnosed with severe depression,” said lead principal investigator Jennifer Hockings, PharmD, PhD, BCPS, a pharmacogenomics clinical specialist in CPGH and Department of Pharmacy. “However, due to the limited number of providers with PGx expertise, many patients lack access to the pre-test education about PGx that is needed before testing can be ordered, which impedes the widespread use of PGx testing.”
With this grant, the team will partner with Conversa Health to develop a clinical-grade, HIPAA-compliant chatbot that will educate patients on the benefits and limitations of PGx, help them make an informed decision about getting tested and prepare them for the type of results they may receive. Patients will easily access the chatbot at any time from their smartphones, tablets or computers without downloading any software.
“Our initial target population consists of individuals who have not responded well to psychotropic medications,” said Dr. Hockings. “Implementation of our proposed chatbot will help a greater number of patients get access to PGx testing, which should help improve health outcomes, potentially lessen the burden on social services and lead to a positive economic impact on the community.”
The grant team includes Meghan DeBenedictis, MS, CGC, MEd, and Deanna Leingang, MS, CGC, both genetic counselors in CPGH, and David Flannery, MD, director of telegenetics and digital genetics in CPGH.