Evanston, Ill.-based NorthShore University HealthSystem is offering patients the option to get a genetic test at their annual checkup, reports Business Insider.
Genetic tests could screen for hereditary cancer risk, cardiovascular risk or responses to certain medications. The health system wants to be more proactive in how it deals with health issues, as opposed to reactive, Peter Hulick, MD, director of personalized medicine at NorthShore, told Business Insider.
Tests would be voluntary and an algorithm would analyze a patient's EHR to help determine what tests, if any, a person might be a good candidate for. As an example, if a patient does not have a family history of cancer, a general screening would be inappropriate and may cause unnecessary anxiety. Patients would be responsible for paying for the tests, which can be covered by insurance.
NorthShore has been making strides toward precision medicine in recent years, including investing in DNA sequencing technologies and expanding its staff to including oncologists, pathologists and a pharmacogeneticist.
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