Gundersen Health System is partnering with the All of Us Research Program to gather patients in an effort to improve health across the country.
All of Us, an initiative of the National Institutes of Health, is asking 1 million people in the United States to join what will be the most diverse health database in history. The program is open to people who are sick and in good health, and from all backgrounds and communities.
“Unlike a single research study focused on a specific disease or population, All of Us will serve as a national research resource to inform thousands of studies, covering a wide variety of health conditions that affect many different people, said Todd Mahr, MD, Gundersen’s principal investigator for All of Us and a pediatric allergist.
As part of the Precision Medicine Initiative, All of Us is individualized healthcare, which considers factors like where you live, what you do and your family health history. The goal is to help people stay healthy and give healthcare teams the best course of treatment if you do get sick.
“The goal is to help researchers understand more about why people get sick or stay healthy,” Dr. Mahr said. “People who join will give us information about their health, habits and what it’s like where they live. By looking for patterns, researchers may learn more about what affect’s people’s health. You will be contributing to an effort to improve the health of generations to come.”
The project aligns with Gundersen’s mission of improving the health of the community, and because Gundersen serves a diverse population, it joined All of Us to ensure that patients and community members can participate in a research program that aims to accelerate health research and medical breakthroughs, which in turn enables individualized prevention, treatment and care for everyone, Dr. Mahr said.
Because medical information is being shared, privacy is a concern. Those who choose to participate can be assured that their information will be stored on protected computers, and those who can see it will be limited. Additionally, your name and other identifiers, such as you Social Security number, will be removed and replaced with code, amongst other safety features. Though the risk of a data breach is low, there is a chance it may happen. If it does, you will be notified.
In addition to releasing medical records, participants who agree to take part must also complete an in-person visit, where some physical measurements and biospecimens will be collected. Those who do will receive a $25 Kwik Trip gift card. Most importantly, you may learn something about your health.
“You will be able to see your All of Us information, which might be interesting to you,” Dr. Mahr said. “If you choose, you will be able to share that information with your doctor.”
To sign up, visit www.allofus.org/Gundersen, or contact the Gundersen study team at (608) 775-2171 or allofus@gundersenhealth.org.