Building Efficiency and Scaling With a Remote Genetic Counseling Program

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genetics
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Community oncology practices face challenges in providing timely genetic counseling.
• Expanding access to genetic services is crucial for personalized cancer care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a third-party telemedicine genetic counseling program in a large community oncology practice.
• To assess the program's impact on patient access, engagement, and genetic testing rates.

Main Methods:

• Referrals were made through the electronic health record (EHR) based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines.
• Telemedicine (TM) and genetic counseling assistants were utilized to enhance convenience and access.
• Physician education on mutation-positive screening was integrated into the EHR.

Main Results:

• The program expanded to 35 clinics, with referrals increasing from 195 to 885 between 2019 and 2022.
• 82% of patients completed TM genetic counseling, and over 70% completed genetic testing.
• The average turnaround time from referral to consultation was 4-6 days, with a no-show rate below 7%.

Conclusions:

• Remote genetic counseling programs are effective for scaling genetics care in community oncology.
• EHR integration of TM genetic counseling improves identification of high-risk patients and test adoption.
• The program demonstrated improved patient keep rates, reduced turnaround times, and better patient outcomes.