Genetic counseling works especially well via telehealth because counselors don’t perform physical examinations, she said. “Prior to COVID, service probably saw maybe 4 VVC [ VA Video Connect ] appointments per month for genetic counseling. Now, VVC makes up about 70% of our new patient encounters. About 25% are telephone and about 5% are clinical video telehealth where the veteran goes into their clinic to be seated in front of the machine.”
Research has suggested that non- White patients are 40 to 50% less likely to be referred to telehealth for genetic counseling vs. in-person encounters, she said, although women in general (including black women) are more likely to be referred.
Harzfeld highlighted several challenges facing genetic counseling in the VA. She notes that contracted laboratories aren’t “really set up to be experts in germline genetic testing, so they’re not as nimble, and their test catalogs are not most likely going to be as comprehensive enough for what is needed.” Also, she said, “test ordering can be quite burdensome.”
“We need to continue working with various partners to increase access and the ease of ordering genetic testing,” she said.
Hartzfeld reports no disclosures.
