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I came across this blog today and I felt like sharing it with you all.
"Today I am back on the soap box.
But I will also give a little worthwhile and scary data as well.
Yesterday I was at a cocktail party for the physicians in my upscale new england/new york town. I was speaking with an "educated" gastroenterologist. In fact this physician has been in practice for 29 years, went to medical school at Cornell, and is now part of a large practice in suburban NY. He told me that some "lab reps" from Myriad were now going to offices of Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, and Primary Care physicians extolling the benefits of genetic testing for cancer predisposition. This physician said that because of this they are now testing younger patients for Hereditary Non-polyposis Colon Cancer/Lynch Syndrome
He went on to talk about a 37 year old woman who had early polyps, was tested, and was positive for a mutation in a DNA repair gene called MLH1. I told him that was great. Then I asked him who he uses for genetic counseling. His eyes glazed over, seeming not to understand the question. Slowly as if to save himself he said "What does she need that for? She's not having any kids." OMG, I almost lost it. Slowly I said "If you fail to counsel a positive test result, you will get sued." Then his eyes lit up "I better go tell her to get counseling" he said.
What do you think about doctors given test results to a patient? Should a doctor refer a patient to a trained professional when a test result comes back?
"Today I am back on the soap box.
But I will also give a little worthwhile and scary data as well.
Yesterday I was at a cocktail party for the physicians in my upscale new england/new york town. I was speaking with an "educated" gastroenterologist. In fact this physician has been in practice for 29 years, went to medical school at Cornell, and is now part of a large practice in suburban NY. He told me that some "lab reps" from Myriad were now going to offices of Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, and Primary Care physicians extolling the benefits of genetic testing for cancer predisposition. This physician said that because of this they are now testing younger patients for Hereditary Non-polyposis Colon Cancer/Lynch Syndrome
He went on to talk about a 37 year old woman who had early polyps, was tested, and was positive for a mutation in a DNA repair gene called MLH1. I told him that was great. Then I asked him who he uses for genetic counseling. His eyes glazed over, seeming not to understand the question. Slowly as if to save himself he said "What does she need that for? She's not having any kids." OMG, I almost lost it. Slowly I said "If you fail to counsel a positive test result, you will get sued." Then his eyes lit up "I better go tell her to get counseling" he said.
- Beware non-genetic doctors bearing genetic tests. 1 in 3 misinterpret tests for colon cancer.
- GI doctors maybe more likely to elicit cancer history in the family, but are less likely to notify AT RISK family or even let the patient know family is at risk
- In my education study that I will be presenting at the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine in San Diego I found some scary things as well.
- Residents in academic and community programs consistently fail genetics knowledge exams
- The confidence of an Internal Medicine resident physician in performing family histories is inversely proportional to their performance on knowledge exams!
- Physicians in practice now are even worse than the training physicians today
- But the scary thing is, the ones who have the confidence to DO genetics, actually have no knowledge in how to do it correctly.....That's why we need gene sherpas."
What do you think about doctors given test results to a patient? Should a doctor refer a patient to a trained professional when a test result comes back?
