Press Release: NextGxDx and Seattle Children’s Hospital’s PLUGS® Program Collaborate on Comprehensive Genetic Testing Utilization Management Solution

SEATTLE, June 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Seattle Children’s Hospital today announced that it will collaborate with NextGxDx, Inc. (*now Concert Genetics) to develop a joint genetic test utilization management (UM) solution for children’s hospitals and pediatric practices. The collaboration will combine the hospital’s PLUGS UM program and its team of genetic testing experts with NextGxDx’s GeneConnect platform, a technology solution designed to bring highly specialized data and tools to help curb rising genetic testing send-out costs. The collaboration was announced at the first annual PLUGS Summit Utilization Management Conference.

PLUGS, which stands for Pediatric Laboratory Utilization Guidance Services, helps clinical laboratories and practitioners decrease costs and errors associated with unnecessary laboratory testing by providing practical resources, expert advice and a valuable peer network for members to develop sustainable utilization management programs.

“The growth in the cost and complexity of genetic testing is overwhelming children’s hospitals and their ability to manage genetic test ordering,” said Michael Astion, MD, PhD, medical director in the Department of Laboratories at Seattle Children’s Hospital. “NextGxDx’s GeneConnect solution and its real-time market analytics and optimized clinical workflow will strongly benefit the PLUGS network of institutions as they develop and improve their genetic test UM programs.”

GeneConnect leverages NextGxDx’s industry-leading database of genetic testing products and U.S.-based, CLIA-certified labs, called GeneSource™. GeneConnect offers hospitals administrative tools to further streamline the genetic test ordering process, including the ability to establish preferred reference lab relationships, track electronic orders and results, monitor physician/department test utilization, and easily compare testing options.

“We are looking forward to working with Dr. Astion and his team to develop a comprehensive UM solution that merges PLUGS’ clinical expertise and network with our GeneConnect technology and customer base of children’s hospitals,” said Mark Harris, PhD, MBA, CEO of NextGxDx. “We’re excited to support PLUGS’ mission to significantly reduce laboratory testing expenses while increasing the value of testing to patients.”

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*NextGxDx became Concert Genetics in March 2017.