Genetic Healthcare

Genetic counseling and testing can highlight your risk for inherited diseases and offer prevention and treatment strategies unique to you.

Our experienced genetic counselors consider your family history, personal health goals, genetic testing options, and medications.

Precision Health

Genetic healthcare at The Christ Hospital Health Network is known as Precision Health.

Our Precision Health genetic counselors partner with doctors, high-risk advanced-practice providers, pharmacists, and the rest of your healthcare team to improve your care based on your genetic make-up, including existing conditions for which you’re being treated.

When to Consider Genetic Counseling

We offer genetic counseling for people who:

• Have cancer or a strong family history of cancer
• Have cardiovascular disease or a strong family history of heart and vascular conditions
• Are pregnant or considering pregnancy or reproductive options

Your primary care doctor or another healthcare professional can help you decide whether genetic counseling is right for you. 

Cost of Counseling

Genetic counseling is available with or without a referral, and both the counseling and testing may be covered by insurance.

At your first appointment, your genetic counselor will discuss insurance coverage and billing for genetic testing. Before your first appointment, you can contact your insurance carrier about coverage for genetic healthcare.

What Genetic Testing Involves

Genetic testing can help identify if you’re at a higher risk for certain diseases, illnesses, or medication intolerances which run in your family.

Consultation

At your first meeting, your genetic counselor will ask questions about your personal and family medical history to look for any risk factors. They also will explain the benefits and limitations of genetic testing, as well as what tests are usually covered by insurance.

How Testing is Done

If you decide that testing is right for you, you will be asked to provide a blood or saliva sample. Sometimes we offer a convenient, at-home saliva test option.

Getting Your Results

When your results are available, your genetic counselor will:

• Explain the results to you.
• Answer any questions.
• Provide emotional and social support to navigate information and any implications.
• Help you and your family make informed healthcare choices based on the results.

Genetic testing is not always conclusive. The results can identify risk factors that can help you delay or prevent some conditions. For example, having a particular genetic mutation does not mean you will necessarily develop a disease. And a negative result doesn’t guarantee you will not develop a disease.

Additional Testing for Your Family

Your genetic testing results may be important for your blood relatives. 

In cases where an inherited risk is present, we offer additional services to blood relatives, sometimes at no additional cost.  

Your genetic counselor can guide you on sharing your results with family and options for them to be tested as well at Precision Health. 

Nurse Navigator for Questions & Referrals

If you are a patient with questions about our services or a provider looking to refer a patient to The Christ Hospital Precision Health, please contact our Clinical Coordinator, Andrea Moreno Garza.

Genetic Healthcare Services

We offer the following genetic healthcare services to help you better understand your health. And no physician referral is required.