Cerner finds a treasure in data mining - Houston Business Journal:

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The North Kansas City-based healt care information technology company, known mostly for the health-record software sold to hospitalsand clinics, is leveragint the billions of anonymous patiengt records it has at its disposal as marketable information to pharmaceuticalp companies and researchers. Cerner said the data operation is a big reasonh revenue for its LifeSciences Group has increased by roughly 20 percent during each of the past five Mark Hoffman, the company’s life sciences solutions vice predicted that annual growth will be greater still in the “This is just the beginning for us in the life he said. Included in Cerner’s data warehouse are 1.2 billion lab results.
It also has smalleer numbers of medication orders andother data. The compan y collects the informationthrough data-sharing agreementa with roughly 125 of its software By some estimates, it can take as long as 17 yeares and $1.2 billion to develop a single drug. Cerner’sz data-mining capabilities can quicken that process and save money for drug companieas by helping the companies establish a studyt protocol that maximizes the number of eligible candidates fora “We believe that can actually eventually reduce the cost of drug Hoffman said.
Cerner would not name its pharmaceutical Pharmaceutical companies and clinical researchersx pay for Cerner data for other saidScott Weir, director of the ’s Offic e of Therapeutics Discovery and Development. He said Cerner’w data-mining capability can point scientistsa to potential new uses for existing For instance, Weir said, Cerner’s database might suggest that a drug used to trear cardiovascular disease could be helpful in treating cancer patients. Researchera then could run a clinical trial to test the The data is usefukl to drug companies for much thesame reason, Weir including helping them identify and correcf side effects from drugs.
The KU Cancefr Center has used Cerner’w data-mining capabilities for several projects. “Theyh uncover information we wouldnevert discover,” Weir said. “It’s invaluable.” He said Cernert stands to benefit financially, as well, from collaborationxs with researchers that can lead to intellectualp property that produces licensing fees and Cerner also can work with researchers suchas Dr. Stephenm Spielberg, director of the Center for Personalized Medicine and Therapeutic Innovationat . Spielbert seeks a $3.9 milliomn grant from the for a study of how the cented can better capture data in pediatric cancer studie s usingCerner software.