Telegenetics and COVID 19: Through the Pandemic and Beyond

Introduction - The COVID 19 pandemic led to restrictions on the conventional ways of healthcare delivery. Telemedicine provided a viable solution that was in line with the social distancing policies imposed to minimize disease transmission. This demanded physicians adapt to new ways of healthcare delivery. We surveyed geneticists across the country to determine their experience and to ascertain if telegenetics will be a lasting change. Materials and Methods - A 23 item standardized survey was distributed to various US-based geneticists via email and other social media platforms focusing on their experience of providing care via telemedicine. Results - We received 69 responses from physicians across 26 states. Of these, 91% practiced in academia. 70% responded that pediatric genetics takes up more than 50% of their practice. 68% had over 50% of their practice switch to telemedicine. 77% felt they could provide adequate care via telemedicine and 94% of providers would like to continue telemedicine post-pandemic. Conclusion - The future of telemedicine looks promising as the majority of clinicians would like to routinely use telemedicine post-pandemic. Uniform guidelines for use of telemedicine in genetics may need to be proposed by professional societies and supported by federal laws.