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2015 HSR&D/QUERI National Conference Abstract


2015 — Access to Genomic Innovations in Clinical Care for Veterans: Learning from the VA Genomic Medicine Collaboration

Knight SJ, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa VAMCs; Provenzale DT, Durham VAMC; Voils CI, Durham VAMC; Scheuner MT, Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System; Venne VL, National VA Genomic Medicine Service;

Workshop Objectives:
Precision medicine, including genomics, is dramatically changing the way health risk assessments inform health care recommendations, a VHA healthcare system priority. This workshop uses findings from the National VA Genomic Medicine Collaboration, a group of VA health services researchers, clinicians, and policymakers who seek to improve access to evidence-based genomic medicine to inform personalized health plans for Veterans. This work, focusing on the identification of Veterans at risk for hereditary cancer, illustrates some of the challenges to achieving the promise of genomic medicine and describes innovations designed to improve genomic medicine delivery in the VHA. The discussion highlights the interaction of investigators and their clinical and policymaker partners as research and clinical programs follow intersecting paths.

Activities:
Dr. Sara Knight will introduce VHA priorities for genomic medicine, highlighting the development of an early collaboration that emerged among VHA researchers, clinicians and healthcare system leaders that focused the delivery of genomic medicine services in the VHA. Dr. Knight and Dr. Dawn Provenzale will present their findings on the current integration of genomics in routine clinical care for Veterans with colorectal cancer. Dr. Corrine I. Voils will describe an innovative decision support approach for family history assessment to inform high-risk cancer screening. Dr. Maren Scheuner will discuss the development and evaluation of a novel implementation strategy for population-based genomics screening. Ms. Vickie Venne will discuss the implementation of the VA national clinical genomic medicine program that provides Veterans with access to services through tele-genomics. Dr. Provenzale and Ms. Venne will conclude with an interactive discussion exploring the challenges and the value of research and clinical collaboration on genomic medicine programs.

Target Audience:
The program is intended for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers interested in learning about innovations in genomic medicine implementation and the value of clinical and research collaboration to facilitate healthcare system improvements.

Assumed Audience Familiarity with Topic:
Basic knowledge of genomic information used to inform health risk assessment, prevention, and treatment.