How the other half screens: A model for partnerships between student‐run free clinics and genetic counseling programs to address disparities in hereditary cancer evaluation

Abstract

Genetic medicine is considered a major part of the future of preventative care, offering evidence‐based, effective interventions to improve health outcomes and reduce morbidity and mortality, especially regarding hereditary cancer screening. Identification of individuals who would benefit from screening is key to improving their cancer‐related healthcare outcomes. However, patients without insurance, of historically underserved races, of lower socioeconomic status, and in rural communities have lower access to such care. Barriers to access lead to populations having higher rates of undetected hereditary cancer, and consequently more severe forms of cancer. With an already‐established reach, student‐run free clinics can work with genetic counseling training programs to incorporate genetic medicine into their workflow. Such partnerships will (1) make genetic care more accessible with goals of improving patient morbidity, mortality, and health outcomes, (2) offer robust educational experiences for genetic counseling learners, particularly in understanding social determinants of health and barriers to care, and (3) actively combat the growing racial and geographic gaps in genetic care. Our study presents how one student‐run free clinic implemented genetic counseling into its primary care workflow to improve access to genetics services. We present two examples of how genetic counseling improved patients' medical care. We also identify obstacles encountered during this program's development, as well as solutions—those we incorporated and possible considerations for other clinics. With the hope that other clinics can use this paper to design similar partnerships, we aim to lessen the gap between sickness and screening.