Speakers: Midhat Farooqi, MD, PhD

Midhat Farooqi, MD, PhD

Molecular Pathologist
Children’s Mercy
Genomic Medicine Center
Children’s Mercy Research Institute

 

Dr. Farooqi received his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) Medical Center in Dallas in 2012. He then completed his residency in Clinical Pathology at UTSW and subsequently did a Molecular Genetic Pathology fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently a faculty member in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at Children’s Mercy Kansas City and part of the Genomic Medicine Center at the Children’s Mercy Research Institute. He is also an Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine and a member of the University of Kansas Cancer Center. As a molecular pathologist, he interprets clinical genetic testing results for pediatric patients in the setting of inherited disease and oncology, including whole exome sequencing and tumor somatic profiling. His clinical interests involve the development of new laboratory tests for pediatric oncology. His research interests include epigenetic profiling, single cell sequencing, and long-read sequencing of pediatric leukemias and solid tumors.

 

Using Cerner PowerForms to Reduce Ordering Errors in Complex Genetic Testing

Commonly used electronic medical record (EMR) platforms demonstrate a lack of conditionality, which becomes increasingly burdensome as laboratory testing becomes more complex. The Genomic Medicine Center at Children’s Mercy began offering tumor plus normal genetic testing clinically for children with cancer in February 2020. This testing involved sequencing the genome of both neoplastic cells and the patient’s germline and then comparing the two to detect somatic variants. Such testing requires collection of multiple sample types from the individual, which vary depending upon the patient’s diagnosis, transplant status, and disease time point. In some cases, DNA from a bone marrow donor or archived tumor specimen must be procured as part of the genetic testing process. Errors in this process were expected to be frequent based on past experience and the complex nature of this testing. Past errors had led to the recollection of specimens, delays in testing, and/or decreased patient/provider satisfaction with the genetic testing process. Here, we present a novel application of Cerner PowerForms as a means of obtaining the proper specimens, consent, and preauthorization needed for complex genetic testing without undue burden or major educational requirements for ordering providers.