PGx ECHO

PGx Echo logo

The University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy is proud to host the nation's first Project ECHO program focused on pharmacogenomics-informed clinical treatment.

As a profession, pharmacy is at the beginning stages of readying its current workforce for healthcare guided by pharmacogenomics (PGx). PGx is not yet used clinically in most healthcare organizations, and active integration of PGx into pharmacists' practices is especially a need in rural areas and those primarily caring for underserved groups. To fully realize the potential for PGx, the clinical workforce must have equitable access to training in its use.

About PGx ECHO

PGx ECHO is a collaborative effort of the Hub Site at the University of Minnesota and seven Spoke Sites: Children's Minnesota, Ferris State University, M Health Fairview, Manchester University, North Dakota State University, Sanford Health, and South Dakota State University. PGx ECHO aims to address the lack of PGx education and support for implementation across rural and underserved areas in the Midwest; a further goal is to assist other regions of the U.S. in creating their own PGx ECHOs. 

PGx ECHO focuses on improving the confidence of healthcare professionals in the use of PGx in patient care by providing them with education and consultation through telementoring as they incorporate evidence-based PGx information into their clinical practice. PGx ECHO meets monthly and is composed of PGx specialists and healthcare professionals who desire patient consultation, advanced case-based learning and short didactic education in PGx. Current programming is free and open to licensed healthcare professionals involved in direct patient care with a priority for those in rural and underserved areas. To maintain the objective and commercial-free programming of the PGx ECHO, attendees' affiliation must be academic and/or clinical in nature.

The Four Principles of the ECHO Model

  • Use technology to leverage scarce resources
  • Share "best practices" to reduce disparities
  • Apply case-based learning to master complexity
  • Evaluate and monitor outcomes

Program Objectives of PGx ECHO

  • Disseminate PGx knowledge by providing consultation on participants PGx patient cases and recommendations for improving medication outcomes
  • Support participants in building practice-relevant skills and applying PGx knowledge
  • Build a PGx community of practice and collaboratively model practice for PGx guided care delivery
  • Promote health equity by expanding patient access to PGx-guided medication management

PGx ECHO Commitment to Collaboration

In the spirit of collaboration, PGx ECHO is committed to working with community partners. PGx ECHO will:

  1. Offer regular didactic presentations on PGx-related topics.
  2. Offer special curricula and training opportunities on PGx-related topics.
  3. Review patient cases presented by clinicians at partnering clinics and provide timely, written recommendations.
  4. Provide routine, remote IT user support to facilitate connectivity and participation.
  5. Be available, when possible, outside of teleconference times for emergent questions or issues, as necessary.

Interested in joining? pgxecho@umn.edu

Connect with us on Twitter: @pgxecho

View recordings of our past didactic presentations on Youtube. Case presentations are not recorded so join our sessions live to participate in the discussion. 

PGx ECHO meets the third Friday of every month at 12:00 PM CT. 

Project ECHO Logo

What is Project ECHO?

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Session Format

PGx ECHO holds monthly, hour-long Zoom sessions PGx ECHO holds monthly, hour-long Zoom sessions comprising an educational mini-lecture or paper, case presentations and discussions. "All teach, all learn" is a foundational element supporting each participant to share and contribute to the sessions and learn through advanced case-based practice. The design of the session facilitates a community of learning and continued engagement.

2023 Schedule

Date of Session Coordinating Spoke Team Didactic Topic and Speaker Case Presenter(s)
January 20, 2023 Manchester University Polypharmacy and Deprescribing: Is There a Role for PGx? | Teresa DeLellis, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP     Teresa DeLellis, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP
February 17, 2023 University of Florida     TPMT / NUDT15 and Mercaptopurine | Kelsey Cook, PharmD, BCPS     Nathan Seligson, PharmD
March 17, 2023 Sanford Health   Beyond 2D6: Integrating Complex Histories and External Results into Psychiatric Pharmacogenomic Care | Sarah Mills, PharmD     Sarah Mills, PharmD + Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA
April 21, 2023 Nemours Children's Health     Pharmacogenomic Testing in a Pediatric Patient with Perioperative Methadone Toxicity | Benjamin Duong, PharmD    Benjamin Duong, PharmD
May 19, 2023 NorthShore University Hospital     Challenges in RYR1 implementation for assessing risk of malignant hyperthermia susceptibility | Dyson Wake, PharmD     Dyson Wake, PharmD 
June 16, 2023 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center     TBA | Laura Ramsey, PhD     TBA
July 21, 2023 Yale New Haven Health     TBA | Rebecca Pulk, PharmD, MS, BCPS     TBA
August 18, 2023 University of Montana     TBA | Erica Woodahl, PhD     Karen Brown, PharmD + Erica Woodahl, PhD
September 15, 2023 MedStar Health   TBA | Max Smith, BCPS, PharmD     TBA
October 20, 2023 Atrium Health     PGx and Serotonin Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient | Grace Nguyen, PharmD, BCPS     TBA
November 17. 2023 University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences     TBA | Yee Ming Lee, PharmD, BCPS, ABCP     TBA
December 15, 2023      Mayo Clinic TBA | Razan El Melik, PharmD, RPh TBA

2022 Schedule

Date of Session Coordinating Spoke Team Didactic Topic and Speaker Case Presenter(s)
January 21, 2022 Children's Minnesota Pharmacogenomic Testing and Atomoxetine | David Gregornik, BA, BS, PharmD Courtney Paetznick, PharmD; David Gregornik, BA, BS, PharmD
February 18, 2022 Mayo Clinic Pharmacogenetic Considerations in a Patient with Treatment-Resistant Depression | Dimple Dhakal, PharmD, MS Dimple Dhakal, PharmD, MS; Eric T. Matey, PharmD, MBA
March 18, 2022 Ferris State University DPYD and Capecitabine: Direction Pharmacogenomic Decisions | Samuel Snowaert, BS, PharmD, MBA Maja Hill, PharmD; Claire Saadeh, BS, PharmD; David Bright, PharmD, MBA
April 15, 2022 University of Minnesota Legislative Update | Pamala Jacobson, PharmD, FCCP Sue Paul, BS
May 20, 2022 University of Minnesota Introduction to Phenoconversion and Assessment Tools | Jeffrey Bishop, PharmD, MS, BCPP, FCCP Mark Schneiderhan, PharmD, BCPP
June 17, 2022 Sanford Health / SDSU CYP2C19-Clopidogrel Interactions in the Neurovascular Setting | Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA Samantha Frear, PharmD; Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA
July 15, 2022 University of Minnesota CPIC Guideline Development | Jeffrey Bishop, PharmD, MS, BCPP, FCCP Mark Schneiderhan, PharmD, BCPP
August 19, 2022 Cleveland Clinic Pharmacogenomics and Statin-Associated Muscle Symptoms (SAMS) | Jennifer Hockings, PharmD, PhD; Alexsandra Nilges, PharmD, MBA Alexsandra Nilges, PharmD, MBA
September 16, 2022 MHealth Fairview Pharmacogenomics and Voriconazole in a Pediatric Patient | Susie Long, PharmD; Nicole Louden, PharmD, BCPPS Nicole Louden, PharmD, BCPPS; Susie Long, PharmD
October 21, 2022 SUNY Upstate Medical University Pharmacogenomics in a Patient with Epilepsy | Danielle DelVecchio, PharmD, BCPS Karen Albright, PhD, DO, MPH
November 18, 2022 Children's Minnesota Pharmacogenomics in a Pediatric Patient with ADHD | David Gregornik, BA, BS, PharmD Courtney Paetznick, PharmD; David Gregornik, BA, BS, PharmD
December 16, 2022 Mayo Clinic CYP3A Genetics + Itraconazole | Jessica Wright, PharmD, RPh, BCACP Serena Mitaly, PharmD +Jessica Wright, PharmD, RPh, BCACP

2021 Schedule

Date of Session Coordinating Spoke Team Didactic Topic and Speaker Case Presenter(s)
October 15, 2021 Manchester University Utility of Pharmacogenomics | David Kisor, BS, PharmD Joseph Brown, BS; Thomas Smith, PharmD
November 19, 2021 Sanford Health / NDSU Pharmacogenomics Clinical Resources | Natasha Petry, PharmD Samantha Frear, PharmD; Natasha Petry, PharmD, MPH
December 17, 2021 Sanford Health / SDSU SSRIs and Pharmacogenomics | Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA Natalie Sovell, PharmD; Jordan Baye, PharmD, MA

People | Hub Site

Hub Team Member Organization Role
Jeffrey Bishop University of Minnesota ECHO Facilitator/Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
Jacob Brown University of Minnesota ECHO Facilitator/Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
Pamala Jacobson University of Minnesota ECHO Facilitator/Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
Alyssa Johnson University of Minnesota ECHO Program Coordinator/IT Support
David Stenehjem University of Minnesota ECHO Facilitator/Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
Lindsay Sorge University of Minnesota ECHO Project Manager

People | Spoke Sites

Spoke Lead Organization Role
Jordan Baye Sanford Health/South Dakota State University Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
David Bright Ferris State University and affiliates Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
David Gregornik Children’s Minnesota Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
David Kisor Manchester University and affiliates Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
Natasha Petry Sanford Health/North Dakota State University  Mentor/Subject Matter Expert
Susie Long M Health Fairview, Minneapolis Mentor/Subject Matter Expert