TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SinfoníaRx and AltheaDx announced today an agreement to integrate AltheaDx's IDgenetix® proprietary genetic testing into SinfoníaRx's medication therapy management (MTM) programs. MTM is a personalized service delivered by pharmacists designed to optimize health outcomes through improved medication treatment. Through the use of the AltheaDx's IDgenetix® genetic testing, the service will provide an unprecedented level of drug therapy optimization and customization for individual patients.
"This program will further enhance our industry leading MTM services," said Kevin P. Boesen, founder and CEO of SinfoníaRx. "The testing offered by AltheaDx will allow us to better understand how our patients will respond to medications based on their own genetic profile."
"We are excited about the collaboration with SinfoníaRx," said Greg Hamilton, CEO of AltheaDx. "Our own research has shown genetic testing can identify more than twice the number of potential drug-related problems when compared to usual practice."
According to a 2013 study by the IMS institute, medication misuse accounts for more than $200 billion in unnecessary health care expenses. This collaboration will improve the care of patients with chronic illness across the continuum of care and reduce unnecessary health care spending.
The enhanced MTM service will initially be offered exclusively at the Assurance Health and Wellness Centers in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona. SinfoníaRx and Assurance Health and Wellness Centers are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Sinfonía Healthcare Corporation.
About SinfoníaRx
SinfoníaRx is an innovative health care company whose mission is to provide the highest quality healthcare solutions for health plans, patients, and caregivers. Originally established in 2006 at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, SinfoníaRx has a long history of pioneering modern Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services. SinfoníaRx, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sinfonía HealthCare Corporation, develops and manages a full suite of MTM services, including STAR Improvement programs. For the year 2014, SinfoniaRx directly prevented 276,000 drug-related problems saving more than $140.2 million in unnecessary health care expenses.
About AltheaDx
AltheaDx is a commercial stage precision medicine company which focuses on enabling healthcare providers to make personalized therapeutic decisions for patients. AltheaDx's IDgenetix® pharmacogenetic testing portfolio addresses some of the most prevalent clinical conditions in the United States, including cardiovascular disease, neuropsychiatric disorders and pain management. AltheaDx is a CAP-accredited, CLIA-certified laboratory located in San Diego, CA.
About Assurance Health and Wellness
Assurance Health and Wellness Center operates the first Integrated Clinics licensed in Arizona that combine mental health treatment and primary medical care services. Mental health treatment has, for years, operated independently from medical care, even though research indicates that serious mental illness is complicated by untreated medical problems, such as diabetes, obesity, COPD, hypertension and cardiac disease. Assurance Health and Wellness Center provides integrated health service to hundreds of patients combining care of primary family practitioners and traditional psychiatry from its locations in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.
About Sinfonía HealthCare
Sinfonía HealthCare was launched in January 2013 by pioneering healthcare executives Fletcher McCusker and Michael Deitch, the CEO, CFO team and founders of Providence Service Corporation (Nasdaq:PRSC). Sinfonía has created an innovative approach to community based medical care by establishing a full continuum of health services including: hospice, home health, companion care, primary care, wellness, and medication therapy management. Sinfonía also operates a behavioral health division designed to integrate mental health, pharmacy and primary care in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, and Virginia.