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Adams AD, Ball R, Darilek S. Telegenetics to provide comprehensive prenatal diagnosis. Prenat Diagn 2024; 44:492-498. [PMID: 38175174 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Telehealth is an effective way to increase access to genetic services and can address several challenges, including geographic barriers, a shortage of interpreter services, and workforce issues, especially for prenatal diagnosis. The addition of prenatal telegenetics to current workflows shows promise in enhancing the delivery of genetic counseling and testing in prenatal care, providing accessibility, accuracy, patient satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. Further research is needed to explore long-term patient outcomes and the evolving role of telehealth for prenatal diagnosis. Future studies should address the accuracy of diagnoses, the impact of receiving a diagnosis in a virtual setting, and patient outcomes in order to make informed decisions about the appropriate use of telemedicine in prenatal genetics service delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- April D Adams
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Robert Ball
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Sandra Darilek
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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Dragojlovic N, Borle K, Kopac N, Nisselle A, Nuk J, Jevon M, Friedman JM, Elliott AM, Lynd LD. Workforce Implications of Increased Referrals to Hereditary Cancer Services in Canada: A Scenario-Based Analysis. Curr Oncol 2023; 30:7241-7251. [PMID: 37623006 PMCID: PMC10453026 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30080525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, utilization of clinical genetics services has grown rapidly, putting increasing pressure on the workforce available to deliver genetic healthcare. To highlight the policy challenges facing Canadian health systems, a needs-based workforce requirements model was developed to determine the number of Canadian patients in 2030 for whom an assessment of hereditary cancer risk would be indicated according to current standards and the numbers of genetic counsellors, clinical geneticists and other physicians with expertise in genetics needed to provide care under a diverse set of scenarios. Our model projects that by 2030, a total of 90 specialist physicians and 326 genetic counsellors (1.7-fold and 1.6-fold increases from 2020, respectively) will be required to provide Canadians with indicated hereditary cancer services if current growth trends and care models remain unchanged. However, if the expansion in eligibility for hereditary cancer assessment accelerates, the need for healthcare providers with expertise in genetics would increase dramatically unless alternative care models are widely adopted. Increasing capacity through service delivery innovation, as well as mainstreaming of cancer genetics care, will be critical to Canadian health systems' ability to meet this challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Dragojlovic
- Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; (N.D.)
| | - Kennedy Borle
- Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; (N.D.)
| | - Nicola Kopac
- Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; (N.D.)
| | - Amy Nisselle
- Australian Genomics Health Alliance, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jennifer Nuk
- Hereditary Cancer Program, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1J2, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Mandy Jevon
- Hereditary Cancer Program, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1J2, Canada
| | - Jan M. Friedman
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Alison M. Elliott
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Women’s Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Larry D. Lynd
- Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; (N.D.)
- Centre for Health Evaluation & Outcome Sciences, Providence Health, Vancouver, BC V6Z IY6, Canada
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