WI system establishes database for personalized medicine study

Aurora Health Care, a healthcare system based in Milwaukee, is investing in an unusual repository, one not just to collect clinical data for treatment, but also to support personalized medicine research efforts.

The system's ORBIT program will set up a repository of lab specimens and EMRs that researchers worldwide can use to conduct clinical trials. The specimens will be leftover blood samples from volunteer Aurora patients. Once the samples arrive at the center, a robot will extract DNA from the specimens, identify them with a bar code and store them in a freezer.

Because the system uses bar codes, specimens can be linked to individual EMRs, and yet, avoid identifying any patient individually. The EMRs will update every time a patient visits the health system.

Aurora expects to expand the program to all of its 13 hospitals and 120 clinics in Wisconsin.

To learn more about the ORBIT project:
- read this iHealthBeat piece

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