Telemedicine is the use of live video conferencing or telephone for a medical appointment. You will receive an email with a link for your telemedicine session. Nurture Genetics uses a HIPAA compliant video conferencing site that allows you to see your genetic counselor and also view any necessary documents or results on your screen. You can access your appointment through your personal computer, tablet, or phone without downloading any apps. All you need is a webcam, speaker, and microphone (most laptops have these built-in) and any modern web browser.

If you prefer, you can also schedule your appointment as a telephone consult only, without the use of video.

Genetic counselors are health care professionals with specialized graduate training in the areas of medical genetics and counseling. Genetic counselors work with your healthcare providers to make sure you understand the genetic testing options available to you. A genetic counselor will review your family and medical history and help you understand any genetic risk based on that history. Genetic counselors will also explain genetic test results, so you understand their impact on your healthcare moving forward.

A genetic counselor must obtain a master’s degree from a program recognized by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling. Board certification is available through examination administered by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC). Some states also require additional licensing to practice.  All Nurture Genetics counselors are board certified and licensed in the states where they provide services, if applicable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhwVlCDgk84&feature=youtu.be

https://www.nsgc.org/page/aboutgeneticcounselors

https://www.abgc.net/

 http://www.gceducation.org/Pages/default.aspx

A Board Eligible genetic counselor has graduated from a program recognized by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling but has not yet taken and/or passed the board examination. Board Eligible genetic counselors are typically newer graduates with less clinical experience. A Board Certified genetic counselor has graduated from a program recognized by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling. In addition a Board Certified Genetic counselor has successfully passed the board examination required by the American Board of Genetic Counseling. All Nurture Genetics genetic counselors are Board Certified and licensed where applicable.

The field of genetics is a rapidly evolving field with new tests and technologies being introduced on a regular basis. It is extremely difficult for a physician to remain current with the most recent advances in genetic technologies. For this reason, many physicians will suggest genetic counseling when a patient has genetic concerns. The goal of genetic counseling is to make sure all patients have access to the most current and accurate genetic testing available.

During a genetic counseling appointment, the genetic counselor will review your family history and help identify possible genetic concerns, review information about any genetic conditions, explain how they are inherited, discuss genetic testing options that may be appropriate, and help you understand your genetic test results. Genetic counselors can also provide support while navigating the process of making informed healthcare decisions.

• Preconception consultation – learning about risks and testing options for a future pregnancy
• Prenatal consultation – discussing genetic screening options in a current pregnancy and any potential risks for birth defects or genetic conditions
• Genetic test result review and consultation
• A family history of a known genetic condition
• A personal or family history that is concerning for a hereditary cancer syndrome
• Genetic counseling before having genetic testing for hereditary cancer syndromes. This is often required by insurance companies before they will cover the cost of testing.
• Counseling to review genetic test results for hereditary cancer syndromes.

Genetic counselors are not counselors or therapists in the traditional way most people think when they hear the word. A genetic counselor is a specially trained professional to help you understand genetic risk based on your personal medical and family history. In addition, a genetic counselor can help you navigate the genetic testing process, weighing your options, and selecting the most appropriate laboratory and tests. Once your test results are available, your genetic counselor can explain those results to you to ensure you understand the impact on your health, the health of children, and/or other family members. The genetic testing process can be a stressful time and genetic counselors do have additional training to help with managing those feelings as well.

We encourage you to gather information about your family history. Your genetic counselor will ask about your children, siblings, parents, aunts/uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Ask your relatives about any genetic conditions, birth defects, chronic illness, and cancers that may have occurred. Please also send Nurture Genetics any genetic testing results for you and other family members (if applicable) prior to your appointment, so your genetic counselor can review them in detail.

Comprehensive genetic counseling appointments usually last 40 – 60 minutes. However, the time spent with your genetic counselor can vary, depending on the type of information being discussed.

If your medical provider has referred you to Nurture Genetics, please follow the instructions given to you by the provider. If you have not been referred by your medical provider, you can click on the schedule appointment button on the Nurture Genetics website and choose a time that best fits your schedule. You may also call 254-613-0399 to schedule an appointment directly. Once your appointment has been scheduled, you will receive an email to create an account on the patient portal to complete the necessary family and medical history forms.

Nurture Genetics offers genetic counseling sessions via teleconference with video and screen sharing capabilities. You can access your meeting through your computer or cell phone. You may also opt to schedule an appointment using only your telephone if you prefer to not utilize video teleconferencing.

No, we do not order genetic testing for patients. Nurture Genetics is an independent genetic counseling company and is not affiliated with any testing laboratories. As a result, our genetic counselors have the ability to discuss any genetic testing that may be appropriate for your situation. You can be certain that all recommendations made are without bias and are appropriate for your situation. If genetic testing is recommended, this will be noted in the genetic consultation summary note you will receive following your consultation. Your genetic counselor will also be happy to work with your medical provider to ensure the appropriate testing is ordered.

Absolutely! Our genetic counselors are able to help at any point in the genetic testing process. Whether you are trying to understand if testing is appropriate, what testing may be helpful, or what your test report means, Nurture Genetics counselors can help.

Some laboratories offer genetic counseling as part of their testing process. Typically, laboratory genetic counselors are not able to provide comprehensive genetic counseling. In other words, a laboratory genetic counselor usually does not review your family history or other health and medical history concerns. In addition, laboratory genetic counselors only discuss tests that are offered by the laboratory they work with. As a result, you may not be made aware of all testing options available for your situation. There may be more appropriate testing available through another testing laboratory but those options will not be discussed with you. As a result, many insurance companies require genetic counseling to be performed by an independent genetic counselor, prior to reimbursing for genetic testing. Finally, laboratory employed genetic counselors are generally only able to review genetic test results generated by their laboratory. They are not able to discuss test results from other labs.

Independent genetic counselors can discuss genetic testing options, without any bias, from all genetic testing laboratories, after a complete review and assessment of your family and medical history. An independent genetic counselor will be able to compare the benefits and limitations of the various testing and help you decide which testing and laboratory are most appropriate for your situation. In addition, independent genetic counselors can review genetic test results from any lab that may have performed your testing.

Nurture Genetics does not currently bill insurance. Payment for your genetic counseling session is required at the time of the appointment. We accept credit card payments (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and Diners Club) via a secure online system. If desired, Nurture Genetics will provide you with a receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.

A valid credit card is required to reserve your genetic counseling appointment.  Your credit card will not be charged at the time your appointment is booked. We accept credit card payments (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and Diners Club) via a secure online system.

Payment for your genetic counseling session is required at the time you speak with your counselor. If desired, Nurture Genetics will provide a receipt documenting proof of service and payment. If you have out of network insurance benefits, you may submit this receipt to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement of the session fee.