The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) is developing a workgroup focused on Genomic Data Exchange as well as the appointment of three co-chairs to lead the group as it evaluates and outlines a common industry vision for genomic data in healthcare.

“With all of the latest advances in genomic sequencing, profiling, testing and phenotyping, the healthcare industry is quickly entering a completely new era of personalized medicine. This progress 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 and investigate not only how to build a national infrastructure to support this genomic data, but how to create seamless workflows to enhance the delivery and coordination of care.”

Katherine Johansen Taber, PhD, director of the American Medical Association’s Personalized Medicine Program; Adam Scott, vice president of consumer clinical strategy at Aetna; and Grant Wood, senior IT strategist for Intermountain Healthcare’s Clinical Genetics Institute will serve as co-chairs of the WEDI Genomic Data Exchange Workgroup.

The Genomic Data Exchange Workgroup will further evaluate and create a common industry vision and roadmap on how to incorporate genomic data into the U.S. healthcare system. 

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.