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Increasing Utilization of Cancer Genetic Counseling Services Using a Patient Navigator Model
Author(s) -
Rahm Alanna Kulchak,
Sukhanova Anna,
Ellis Jennifer,
Mouchawar Judy
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of genetic counseling
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1573-3599
pISSN - 1059-7700
DOI - 10.1007/s10897-006-9051-6
Subject(s) - genetic counseling , referral , medicine , family medicine , genetic testing , randomized controlled trial , cancer , physical therapy , nursing , surgery , biology , genetics
Rarely has utilization of genetic counseling for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) been studied separately from utilization of testing. At Kaiser Permanente Colorado, consistently only 30% of all members referred for HBOC attend genetic counseling. To increase the volume of genetic counseling appointments, a patient navigator approach was pilot tested in a randomized‐controlled trial over 3 months. A total of 125 members were referred for HBOC genetic counseling (55 randomized to PN, 70 randomized to usual care). Utilization of referrals for Navigator‐assisted members was 44%, compared to 31% in the usual care arm ( p =0.16). The patient navigator significantly decreased time to appointment, with over 80% of Navigator‐assisted members seen for genetic counseling less than three months from referral date, compared to 32% in usual care ( p =0.002). patient navigator assistance shortens time from referral to appointment for HBOC genetic counseling, and may increase utilization of such services.