Ambry Genetics has been at the forefront of genetic testing innovation for 25 years. Beyond just pioneering tests, Ambry is dedicated to improving the entire landscape of genetic service delivery. Since 2019, the Ambry Genetics Care Program has been instrumental in bridging critical gaps in patient care, ensuring individuals receive the proactive genetic services they need.
The Imperative for CARE
Significant disparities exist between established medical guidelines and patients’ access to vital preventative measures like cancer screening and risk reduction. Consider these sobering statistics:
- A staggering 93% of women at elevated breast cancer risk who meet the criteria for breast MRI scans are not receiving them.
- Astonishingly, 80% of individuals with BRCA-related Breast and/or Ovarian Cancer syndrome remain unaware of their condition.1
- Lynch syndrome, the most prevalent hereditary cause of colorectal cancer, affects 1 in 279 people, yet over 95% of those affected may be undiagnosed.2
While patient receptiveness to genetic testing is high – 76% would opt for it to proactively manage their health3 – healthcare providers face time constraints that impede comprehensive patient needs assessments. This is particularly true during routine check-ups, where crucial decisions regarding proactive care are often made. Gathering and analyzing information for thorough breast cancer and hereditary cancer risk evaluations adds to this challenge.
Digital health technologies offer a promising solution to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of genetic healthcare. Research indicates that health information delivered via digital platforms is comparable in effectiveness to physician consultations.4
The Ambry Genetics CARE Program directly addresses these challenges. It’s designed to optimize the patient-provider interaction and standardize high-quality care delivery on a large scale. CARE (Comprehensive Assessment, Risk, and Education) employs digital health solutions to enable health systems to effectively categorize patients based on their health risks. This strategic approach facilitates proactive, patient-centered care, empowering clinicians to make well-informed, evidence-based medical decisions while simultaneously improving practice efficiency.
Patient-Centric Design
The Ambry Genetics CARE Program is meticulously designed to cater to the modern patient’s needs. Leveraging technology, CARE provides convenient access via smartphones, empowering patients to engage with information and complete assessments at their own pace, in their homes, and with family involvement. This approach equips patients for more informed and productive discussions with their healthcare providers, leading to collaborative decisions focused on improved health outcomes.
Patients prioritize both quality clinical care and convenient, technology-driven access. Notably, 4 out of 5 patients desire technology solutions to manage their healthcare journey, as it enhances satisfaction and patient retention.5
Digital health technologies have demonstrated significant advantages:
- Improved access to genetic healthcare services.
- High patient acceptance and user satisfaction.
- Effective patient education, comparable to or exceeding traditional healthcare provider interactions.
- No increase, or even a decrease, in patient distress compared to discussing sensitive health topics with a healthcare provider.6
The Ambry Genetics CARE Program® is thoughtfully constructed with patients’ informational and experiential needs at its core. It aims to transform patients into active participants in their healthcare journey.
Unveiling the Process
The Ambry Genetics CARE Program utilizes a secure, HIPAA-compliant application to gather and analyze patients’ medical and family history before in-person appointments. Patients receive an email or text invitation to access the CARE platform and input their information securely.
CARE’s intelligent system analyzes this patient-provided data to calculate their lifetime risk of breast cancer and determine their eligibility for hereditary cancer testing. This analysis facilitates the development of personalized cancer screening and risk reduction strategies, maximizing the potential for cancer prevention and early detection.
Consider these examples:
- Women identified with a lifetime breast cancer risk exceeding 20% may qualify for annual breast MRI scans in addition to standard annual mammograms.
- Individuals meeting criteria for hereditary cancer testing who choose to proceed may discover they carry a pathogenic variant or mutation in a gene predisposing them to specific cancers. This knowledge allows for adjustments to their healthcare plans, enabling earlier cancer detection when treatment is more effective, or proactive risk reduction measures.
The CARE platform offers patients access to educational resources covering a range of topics, including potential test results and their implications. Furthermore, CARE is accessible in five languages, ensuring broader patient access to information in their native language. Ultimately, the Ambry Genetics CARE Program empowers patients to take a more proactive role in their health management.
Stay connected for upcoming blog posts that will delve into how The Ambry Genetics CARE Program supports healthcare teams in delivering proactive patient care and enhancing practice productivity.
Sources
- https://blogs.cdc.gov/genomics/2023/07/25/persistent-underutilization/
- Win, A. K., Jenkins, M. A., Dowty, J. G., Antoniou, A. C., Lee, A., Giles, G. G., Buchanan, D. D., Clendenning, M., Rosty, C., Ahnen, D. J., Thibodeau, S. N., Casey, G., Gallinger, S., Le Marchand, L., Haile, R. W., Potter, J. D., Zheng, Y., Lindor, N. M., Newcomb, P. A., … MacInnis, R. J. (2017). Prevalence and penetrance of major genes and polygenes for colorectal cancer. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 26(3), 404–412. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.epi-16-0693 Hampel H, de la Chapelle A. The search for unaffected individuals with Lynch syndrome: do the ends justify the means? Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2011 Jan;4(1):1-5. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-10-0345. PMID: 21205737; PMCID: PMC3076593.
- U.S. public opinion about personalized medicine survey shows public … (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2023, from https://www.personalizedmedicinecoalition.org/Userfiles/PMC-Corporate/file/us_public_opinion_about_personalized_medicine.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6906616/
- https://patientengagementhit.com/news/convenience-technology-use-can-boost-patient-satisfaction
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35803232/
