WEDI Conference News

WEDI Launches Genomic Data Exchange Workgroup

At its annual conference in May, the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) launched the WEDI Genomic Data Exchange Workgroup. The initial taskforce explored the current landscape of genomic information exchange in early 2015 and they are about to announce their findings in an industry roadmap. The newly formed workgroup emerged from an initial investigation into a wide range of genomic information exchange issues—including genomic data formats, exchange, privacy controls, security, storage, management, governance, care coordination, and payer-provider collaboration—from the preliminary taskforce in the first quarter of 2015.

"With all the latest advancement under way and in use regarding genomic sequencing, profiling, testing and phenotyping, the health care industry is quickly entering a completely new era of personalized medicine—one that will require more advanced health information technology, capable of rapidly accessing, exchanging and processing information to fully inform diagnostic, treatment and prevention decisions at the point of care," said Devin Jopp, EdD, president and CEO of WEDI. "It is important that WEDI, as the leading authority on health IT and health information exchange, bring this issue to the forefront as we investigate how to not only build a national infrastructure to support this genomic data, but to create seamless workflows around the existing care delivery and care coordination."

Beginning with its first meeting in June, the Genomic Data Exchange Workgroup will further evaluate and create a common industry vision and roadmap on how to incorporate genomic data into the American health care system.

— Source: Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange