SYNOPSIS

Genetics offers enormous promise for human health, and for enabling our healthcare system to deliver better outcomes and greater value. However, the practical barriers to integrating genetics into clinical care delivery are undeniable. Because genetics is inherently data-intensive, critical challenges relate to the data and digital infrastructure that span across research, care delivery, and payment.

At the inaugural Genetic Health Information Network Summit, a group of leaders from across the healthcare ecosystem came together to discuss the shortcomings and potential improvements to the infrastructure connecting genetic information in healthcare. The group surfaced five core issues:

1. Genetic testing laboratory quality and patient safety;

2. Clinical validity, utility, and value assessment at scale;

3. Genetic test identification for market tracking, evidence-gathering, billing, and payment;

4. Provider education, communication, and support at the point-of-care; and

5. Patient access and control of genetic data.

The substance of this discussion was documented for this Whitepaper, which includes key observations and most promising potential solutions.