The case for integrating genetic counselors into primary care: A paradigm shift for our profession

Abstract

The integration of genetic counselors (GCs) into primary care represents an opportunity for a transformative shift in healthcare delivery, bridging the gap between the historical medical genetics delivery model and the increasing need for genetic services. This paradigm aligns the holistic ethos of primary care with the specialized expertise of genetic counseling and frontline access to preventive care, addressing critical barriers in genetic services. Current genetic service delivery models, concentrated in tertiary care settings, face limitations, including access disparities, fragmented care, and inefficiencies that disproportionately affect underserved populations. Embedding GCs within primary care leverages GCs' unique skills to enhance personalized healthcare delivery, improve risk assessment, and facilitate the implementation of precision medicine. GCs in primary care can streamline referrals, manage routine genetic concerns, and provide genetic continuity of care across the patient's lifespan. This integration ensures that genetic insights are contextualized within patients' day-to-day healthcare, fostering equitable and efficient access to genomic medicine. We explore the potential impact of primary care genetic counselors (PCGCs) on healthcare systems, emphasizing the alignment of their scope of practice with primary care principles such as accessibility, comprehensiveness, and continuity. By addressing evolving patient needs and collaborating with primary care teams, PCGCs can increase patient access, reduce system inefficiencies, alleviate pressures on specialty genetics services, and improve health equity. This paper advocates for a collaborative model where GCs are embedded within primary care, enabling proactive, prevention-focused interventions and enhancing patient outcomes. By integrating genetics into primary care settings, we reimagine genetic healthcare delivery to maximize the benefits of genomic medicine for all individuals. This paradigm shift underscores the urgency of addressing systemic barriers and advancing the role of GCs in healthcare to improve patient and clinician experiences, better population health, and achieve greater health equity.