Genetic counseling is integral to LetsGetChecked’s proactive genetic testing solution, myGeneticScreen. Our board-certified genetic counselors help patients understand genetic testing and its implications for their health and that of their family members.
To dive deeper into genetic counseling at LetsGetChecked, we interviewed Wendi Gill, a board-certified genetic counselor working with LetsGetChecked. Keep reading to learn how genetic counseling paired with testing can help employers and health plans improve outcomes and lower long-term healthcare costs.
What is genetic counseling's role in inherited disease prevention?
Wendi Gill: Genetic counseling provides those with a personal or family history of health problems a more complete and accurate understanding of their genetic risk and genetic testing options. Offering comprehensive genetic testing and counseling can help employees and health plan members understand their health risks and management options by providing personalized information tailored to an individual's family history and genetic makeup. This empowers individuals and their families to seek preventive care or treatment options.
How does LetsGetChecked support employees and health plan members who receive a positive myGeneticScreen result?
Wendi Gill: LetsGetChecked leverages genetic counseling as part of the myGeneticScreen solution, incorporating family history and medical expertise to help your population create personalized health risk mitigation plans. Patients with indications of a present gene variation will have access to 1-on-1 counseling sessions with a board-certified genetic counselor.
To prepare for the session, the patient's personal and family health history is collected to supplement clinical information in the consultation. LetsGetChecked also makes it easy for participants to engage with a counselor by scheduling a telemedicine consult, with confirmation and reminders sent.
During the genetic counseling session, the counselor reviews and explains the results in the context of the patient’s personal and family history. The genetic counselor will also discuss the implications for relatives, including:
- Testing of relatives to inform risk and result interpretation
- Risk to first-degree, second-degree, and more distant relatives
- Answers to questions about the implications of these results for family members
- Next steps, including sharing and discussion of the results with family members
- Proactive management opportunities for relatives
Additionally, genetic counselors provide options for sharing results with the individual’s healthcare providers so they can discuss potential implications, provide accurate guidance, and coordinate care with other specialists.
How can genetic counseling lower long-term healthcare costs for health plans and employers?
Wendi Gill: Genetic counseling provides employees and members with personalized insights into their risks for specific genetic conditions. This information empowers proactive health management, including preventative care and lifestyle changes, which may reduce the risk or prevent future disease, which are often expensive to treat. Early risk identification can guide more targeted screening and early intervention, improving treatment outcomes and potentially reducing long-term healthcare costs for health plans and employers.
Leverage the power of genetic counseling with LetsGetChecked
LetsGetChecked’s genetic counseling services can help employers and health plans achieve high-quality and cost-effective outcomes. Our solution enables patients to engage in care from the comfort of their homes without having to wait for an appointment, ensuring timely support and better patient satisfaction.
Our best-in-class experience drives engagement and enables patients to seek guidance, take necessary preventive measures, and facilitate early detection, which can significantly reduce long-term costs and morbidity and mortality.
Contact our team to learn how we can partner to transform personal health management and make valuable genetic insights more accessible for all.
