What You Should Know:
– WellSpan Health and Helix, the nation’s leading population genomics and viral surveillance company, announced today a partnership to create a comprehensive population genomics program designed to improve patient healthcare outcomes by integrating genetic insights into clinical care and research.
– Patients who are interested can have a DNA sample collected to generate genomic data. Once obtained, with their consent, the results from their sample will be integrated into their electronic medical record (EMR), providing them and their physicians valuable insights into their personal health. The genetic reports made available by this program may allow patients and their health providers to develop precision health care plans to proactively mitigate serious health risk conditions and take a more preventative and individualized approach to their care.
– Additionally, the genomic data, which removes any information that may directly identify an individual, from consenting participants may help WellSpan better understand the health of its overall population and assist researchers to learn the root causes of certain diseases and the most effective treatments for them.
