4 Steps to Setting Up & Scaling Your Genetics Program

Our mission at CancerIQ is to help hospitals and health systems stay ahead of cancer by making precision prevention and early detection accessible to all patients. We know these organizations have a similar mission – but all too often, the realities of resource constraints and operational bottlenecks get in the way of even beginning to realize this goal.

In a recent webinar hosted by the Association of Cancer Executives, CancerIQ’s Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy, John Hansel, discussed the four key steps that health systems can take to overcome these challenges and transform their genetics programs from a cost center to a profit center.

• Take a broad approach to cancer risk assessment. When risk assessment and genetic testing is siloed in oncology, health systems are only reaching patients who have been recently diagnosed with cancer or otherwise proactively visiting the cancer center. Bringing genetic testing into primary care turns it into a population health initiative that improves patient outcomes and generates greater preventive service revenue.
• Reduce barriers to genetics expertise. After a screening, patients may need to see a genetic specialist who can explain their results and begin to discuss their options for prevention and early detection. As with screening, the closer that genetic specialists are to the point of care, the better. Referrals and future appointments add steps to the process that contribute to drop off. If counseling occurs at the point of care, then patients are far more likely to see a genetic specialist.
• Centralize the care navigation process. While decentralization of genetic testing makes it possible to test more patients at more locations, health systems benefit from centralizing the genetic care navigation process. That’s because centralization makes it much easier to coordinate closed-loop precision preventive care services, manage appointment reminders, and close care gaps at scale.
• Put it all together in a financial model – or let us build one for you. This is a transformative way of testing and treating patients for cancer. But not only does it improve outcomes – it generates growth for health systems by increasing the utilization of downstream preventive services, from screenings to chemoprevention therapies to prophylactic surgeries. In fact, for each patient screened, a health system can expect to generate approximately $160 in downstream revenue. 
  
  

Ready to learn more about building the business case for genomics within your health system? We've put together a free eBook delving deeper into this topic.

Find the right approach with an exclusive first look read our newest eBook, Transforming Your Genetics Program From a Cost Center to a Profit Center. In it, learn more about setting up or scaling your preventative care program.