See a webinar on March 7, 2024, sponsored by the California Telehealth Resource Center:
"Success and Sustainability: Digitally-provided Genetic Services Overcome Obstacles to Patient Access to Precision Medicine."
Find more info here:
See 49 slide deck, and summary below (AI Corner).
https://caltrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/TeleGenetics.2024.pdf
Thanks for Sylvia Trujillo for highlighting on LinkedIn. It's 12 pacific on a Thursday.
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AI CORNER
With e-summary of deck.
The webinar focused on the expansion and sustainability of genetic services through digital means, emphasizing telemedicine's potential to improve access to precision medicine. Here's a summary of the main points and key takeaways:
Webinar Summary
Genetic Services and Precision Medicine:
Genetics and genomics are increasingly crucial in healthcare, with a rising demand for services.
Implementing precision medicine is a challenge due to a knowledge gap among physicians, despite their recognition of its impact.
Workforce and Demand:
The genetic workforce in the US is limited, highlighting a significant demand for genetic services that outpaces supply.
Cleveland Clinic's Approach:
Cleveland Clinic's Center for Personalized Genetic Healthcare (CPGH) is a leading provider of genetic services, constantly facing unmet demand.
The vision for increased access involves digital tools to ensure the right service is provided in the right way and at the right time.
Digital Innovations:
Telemedicine, eConsults, and chatbots are pivotal in expanding access and allowing providers to practice at the top of their license.
A shift to virtual services was successfully made during the pandemic, with a hybrid model enhancing team retention and service delivery.
Chatbots in Genetic Counseling:
Chatbots serve various roles, from pre-test counseling to facilitating cascade testing, improving efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Future Directions:
The webinar underscores the ongoing development of chatbots for different genetic services, highlighting the importance of innovation in predicting and shaping the future of genetics healthcare.
10 Key Takeaways
- Growing Importance of Genetics: Genetics is becoming integral to healthcare, driving a need for more accessible services.
- Precision Medicine Implementation Gap: There's a significant gap between the perceived impact of genomics and physicians' readiness to implement it.
- Limited Genetic Workforce: With only around 6,600 genetics professionals in the US, the demand far exceeds the supply.
- Digital Expansion: Digital tools like telemedicine, eConsults, and chatbots are essential for expanding access to genetic services.
- Telemedicine Success: Telemedicine has proven effective in delivering genetic services, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- eConsults Utilization: eConsults provide a streamlined way for providers to consult genetics experts, enhancing service efficiency.
- Chatbots for Education and Triage: Chatbots are used for pre-test education, risk assessment, and improving patient engagement.
- High Patient Satisfaction: Early implementations of chatbots in pharmacogenomics have shown high patient satisfaction and completion rates.
- Future Chatbot Applications: Continued development and deployment of chatbots for various genetic counseling aspects are anticipated.
- Innovation and Regulation: The future of genetic services relies on innovation, with a need to navigate regulations carefully.
This comprehensive approach to integrating digital tools in genetic services not only caters to the current demand but also paves the way for future expansions and improvements in precision medicine delivery
