![]() Racial disparities are observed in the offering and uptake of genetic services, demonstrated in the differences in BRCA1/2 testing and knowledge in Black patients as compared to their White counterparts, which can lead to diminished impact of results, knowledge, and proactive interventions, such as risk-reducing surgeries, in historically underrepresented patient populations. 6 Because genetics professionals are generally responsible for managing patients with genetic conditions, limited availability can contribute to long appointment wait times and be a barrier to patient access.Īdditional factors, such as social determinants of health, compound already limited access to genetics providers. As of 2020, all 8 states in the Southeastern Regional Genetics Network (SERN) region (AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN) have on average 4 GCs and 1 medical geneticists per 500 000 people. ![]() When it comes to managing these patients, the availability of genetics professionals, including geneticists and Genetic Counselors (GCs), is far from sufficient. 2- 5 Cumulatively, these rare conditions impact the lives and healthcare of a significant number of individuals in the US. ![]() 1 Other common genetic conditions include Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle-Cell Disease, Trisomy 21, along with the 5% to 10% of all cancers that are estimated to be due to inherited cancer predisposition. Twenty-five million individuals in the United States (US) are estimated to have a “rare disease,” of which 80% have genetic etiologies. PCPs provided suggestions for future resources to support interactions with genetics, including clear referral guidelines, increased access to genetics providers, improved test ordering processes, increased access to genetic education, and communication systems. Assistance from genetic counselors, electronic medical record systems that support referral to genetics, prior experience referring to genetics, established communication channels with genetics professionals, and highly motivated patients all facilitated improved collaboration with genetic services. Many PCPs provided additional education regarding genetics appointments or testing benefits to their patients. Patient-specific barriers included concerns or lack of information regarding genetics and unmet social needs. When not possible, some PCPs reached out to other colleagues or specialists for guidance. ![]() When possible, many PCPs contacted genetics providers for assistance. Regarding provider-specific barriers, PCPs reported lack of genetics knowledge making referrals challenging. System-wide barriers included a lack of genetics providers and logistic challenges, which led to some PCPs coordinating referrals with other specialists or independently managing patients. Three predominant themes emerged from the data regarding factors impacting use of genetic services: system-wide factors, provider-specific factors, and patient factors. ![]() All subjects Allied Health Cardiology & Cardiovascular Medicine Dentistry Emergency Medicine & Critical Care Endocrinology & Metabolism Environmental Science General Medicine Geriatrics Infectious Diseases Medico-legal Neurology Nursing Nutrition Obstetrics & Gynecology Oncology Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Otolaryngology Palliative Medicine & Chronic Care Pediatrics Pharmacology & Toxicology Psychiatry & Psychology Public Health Pulmonary & Respiratory Medicine Radiology Research Methods & Evaluation Rheumatology Surgery Tropical Medicine Veterinary Medicine Cell Biology Clinical Biochemistry Environmental Science Life Sciences Neuroscience Pharmacology & Toxicology Biomedical Engineering Engineering & Computing Environmental Engineering Materials Science Anthropology & Archaeology Communication & Media Studies Criminology & Criminal Justice Cultural Studies Economics & Development Education Environmental Studies Ethnic Studies Family Studies Gender Studies Geography Gerontology & Aging Group Studies History Information Science Interpersonal Violence Language & Linguistics Law Management & Organization Studies Marketing & Hospitality Music Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution Philosophy Politics & International Relations Psychoanalysis Psychology & Counseling Public Administration Regional Studies Religion Research Methods & Evaluation Science & Society Studies Social Work & Social Policy Sociology Special Education Urban Studies & Planning BROWSE JOURNALSĮleven interviews were conducted. ![]()
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