EMSI to Support Sample Collection for the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program

Press Release | EMSI | April 5, 2017

Chosen by The Scripps Research Institute

IRVING, Texas, April 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EMSI, a medical information service provider mobilizing networks of technology-enabled health professionals and trained phlebotomists, will engage thousands of direct volunteers in their homes for the ambitious All of Us Research Program, a historic medical research effort led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"Our mobile phlebotomy, medical and health data collection services will extend the reach of the research team and lessen the burden on participants, while our national coverage will help researchers engage study participants who are homebound or far removed from partner sites," said James D. Calver, Chief Executive Officer of EMSI. "The people of EMSI are honored to bring our 40 years of experience in specimen and data collection to help shape the future of healthcare."

Precision medicine is an approach to disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in environment, lifestyle and genes. The All of Us Research Program, which is part of the Precision Medicine Initiative, will lay the foundation for using this approach in clinical practice. In total, the program will engage one million or more U.S. participants who will share biological samples, genetic data, and diet/lifestyle information. The data may allow researchers to develop more precise treatments and prevention strategies for many diseases and conditions.

Some volunteers will join through participating medical centers. Others who do not receive health care at those sites will be able to enroll as "direct volunteers" through the research program's online enrollment portal.  EMSI has been chosen to collect data from selected hard-to-reach direct volunteers in their homes. Enrollment is expected to begin later in 2017.

EMSI, known for its process, national reach and experience, will manage these at-home visits and sample collections from beginning to end. EMSI will train local staff, deliver supplies, schedule at-home visits with participants, report biometric data, and collect and ship specimens according to strict program protocols.

"One of the ingredients of our success is our ability to seamlessly integrate our operations and teams of trained staff with study protocols at each step of the process. This is a top priority, because our primary measure of success is achieving our clients' goals," said James Calver.

The data and specimens EMSI collects will play a key role in the program's goal to pioneer a new model of research that emphasizes engaged research participants, responsible data sharing and privacy protection. Research based on the data may help develop the right drug for the right person at the right dose.

EMSI was chosen by The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) to join its group of partners enrolling direct volunteers. The direct volunteers outreach effort is being led by the Scripps Translational Science Institute, an affiliate non-profit research organization that merges the considerable biomedical science expertise of TSRI with Scripps Health's exceptional patient care and clinical research capabilities.

About EMSI

EMSI is a leading, national provider of medical information services, including in-home phlebotomy and specimen collections for clinical research, medical evaluations and analytics for health plans, paramedical exams and medical records retrieval for insurance carriers, and drug-testing collections for employers. With more than 40 years' experience in specimen and data collection, EMSI has the flexibility to meet the most challenging study protocols. EMSI's national network of thousands of local health professionals, trained phlebotomists and advanced technology platform serves the world's leading health plans, clinical research institutions, insurance companies and employers. For more information, see www.emsinet.com.

Contacts

EMSI
Burt Wolder
(814) 446-2878
[email protected]

SOURCE EMSI

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