“Precision prescribing is a reality and it is a reality today. The degree of precision relies on accounting for the complex interplay of multiple variables including pharmacogenetics” – GenXys CEO – Karl Pringle
We are excited to announce that Karl Pringle joined GenXys as the new CEO. Karl is a seasoned business leader and software executive with an international background in healthcare. Prior to joining GenXys, Karl launched a number of early-stage software companies transforming their solutions into ‘best in class’ across diverse industries in the US and globally.
We sat down with Karl to discuss how precision prescribing software improves our health, how fostering diversity of thought allows people to grow and the road ahead for GenXys.
What role do you see precision prescribing software has in improving patient care and the healthcare system?
There are a number of reasons why I joined GenXys. Number one is the exceptional caliber of people who are all deeply committed to ensuring our precision prescribing software significantly reduces adverse drug reactions and dramatically improves people’s responsiveness to medications. Before joining GenXys, I had heard all about personalized medicine, but what I didn’t appreciate was the extent to which medications are ineffective or cause harm: 500,000 deaths per year due to adverse drug reactions and that 50% of people do not respond to their medications. This is appalling especially when a proven solution already exists in the market.
My perspective on this global problem is that the cornerstone of personalized medicine is actually precision prescribing. Precision prescribing is a reality and it is a reality today. The degree of precision relies on accounting for the complex interplay of multiple variables including pharmacogenetics. Our TreatGx software takes precision to a whole different level as the algorithms consider not only an individual’s genetic makeup but also a whole set of patient data and the best clinical evidence to predict individuals’ drug response.
Trial and error prescribing and adverse drug reactions are a significant burden for patients, caregivers, and the healthcare system. With precision prescribing solutions, the burden on patient safety and quality of care will be significantly enhanced, health budgets will be significantly reduced, and the overall health of our populations will improve. It is amazing when you think that the solution actually exists today. Over the next 18 months, there will be a radical change in the use of precision prescribing software powered by pharmacogenetics positively influencing the prescribing habits of physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers. Patient’s expectations will also change in terms of what I characterize as no more medication trial & error.
What excites you the most about leading a digital health company like GenXys?
There are a number of things which really excite me about leading GenXys. First and foremost is that we already have a well-designed, proven solution which has dramatically changed the lives of our customers, and we have the whole world as a market! What a challenge that is to have and it is why we all firmly believe in our vision of having ‘every prescription being powered by our software’. We at GenXys get up every morning because we know that we are reducing the number of adverse drug reactions, improving the efficacy of treatments, and all the while helping people live better lives. Every time someone asks me about what we do, I am excited to say that we build the foundation of personalized medicine with precision prescribing.
Precision prescribing in itself builds upon four pillars: high levels of evidence, precise and robust pharmacogenetic test, ability to take into account as much as the patient characteristics (phenotype) as possible, along with pharmacogenetic data, and an effective user interface. Gone are the days of looking purely at the drug to gene relationships or the drug to drug interactions; the next generation of medication decision support software incorporates many more variables. For clinicians to give the standard of care that patients expect, more complex interactions need to be modeled, in real-time, in ergonomically intuitive software which creates a list of personalized condition-specific medication options that are safe and effective for each patient. ‘No More ADR’s’ and ‘changing healthcare, one prescription at a time’ are our mottos.
Improving healthcare by using the best technologies and the best clinical evidence is deeply ingrained in our culture and we are continually evolving working closely with our partners in Canada (LifeLabs and The Digital Technology Supercluster) and around the world. The team will be expanding our precision prescribing software with additional capabilities such as e-prescribing and will be supporting patients in taking their medications and reporting outcomes. Our focus in the near future will be the incorporation of a machine learning component and to supplement the rule-based algorithms with artificial intelligence.
How do you develop talent, in other words, how do you help people grow to the next level and be their best?
People need to be valued and if they are all working to a common goal, a shared belief, then they surprise themselves by accomplishing more than they ever thought they could. Setting common clear measurable goals with accountability empowers people to achieve them. I support, nurture, and give suggestions along the way, but what I really engender is the belief that my team is able to conquer and surpass their goals.
I am a firm believer that positive team dynamics working together will give superior long-term growth for both an organization as well as the individual. Different perspectives also make a difference and they are a result of peoples’ experiences, backgrounds, and the solutions they offer for solving problems which are grounded in this. Our team of software developers, geneticists, health care providers, and business professionals has a diverse gene pool with roots from North America, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. It has been proven time and again that diverse teams are better at problem-solving in creative ways. From a personal perspective, I also enjoy having diverse teams to interact with and to bounce ideas off of.
About GenXys
GenXys provides the world’s most comprehensive precision prescribing software to solve healthcare’s most pressing challenges. Our precision prescribing software & pharmacogenetic solutions prevent adverse drug reactions, the 4th leading cause of death in the US, and personalize drug selection to increase drug efficacy. Powering every prescription with our software improves medication safety, increases drug efficacy and reduces healthcare costs.
For further information please visit GenXys Health Care Systems
Media Contact: Adriana Suarez-Gonzalez, adriana.suarez@genxys.com