Grant: Operating Grant: Knowledge Synthesis Grants: Allied Health and Genetics

Genetic testing is being used more often in different medical specialties. This creates challenges for how patients and allied health professionals (AHPs; nurses, genetic counsellors, therapists, community health workers, etc.) can use this information. Access to these technologies is uneven across the country, and the growing demand for genetic services like testing and counselling has led to long wait times (>2 years in some places) and increased pressure on genetic counsellors. There are only about 500 genetic counsellors in Canada. To meet this demand, it is important to rethink how genetic services are used in healthcare. This includes supporting AHPs to use genetic and genomic tools as part of a more connected and patient-centered approach to care. In this project we will try to better understand how to improve and support the delivery of genetic services (testing, counselling, emotional, psychological and practical support) to all Canadians. We will: I) describe existing approaches to deliver genetic services from patient care teams external to genetics by performing a scoping review (of the published medical literature), and II) create expert-based recommendations for best practices by conducting a modified Delphi process (surveys and conversations that will include perspectives from patient partners, AHPs, decision makers, ethicists and physicians (specialists, primary care) across Canada and III) pilot an educational module with nurses who are involved in giving genetic results. The project will bring together what we currently know about how AHPs share genetic results with patients and communities and will help to inform a national framework for collaboration that can improve equity for genetic testing results for all Canadians.