University of Illinois Cancer Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Sage Bionetworks, Seattle, Washington, USA.
J Genet Couns. 2021 Aug;30(4):989-998. doi: 10.1002/jgc4.1484. Epub 2021 Jul 26.
The Genetic Counselor SARS-CoV-2 Impact Survey (GCSIS) describes the impact of the pandemic on genetic counselors and genetic counseling services. With this information, the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) can better: (1) support advocacy and access efforts for genetic counseling services at both federal- and state-level; (2) promote effective billing and reimbursement for genetic counseling services provided via telemedicine; and (3) make decisions about how to best support genetic counselors. The survey was hosted on a novel data collection and analysis platform from LunaDNA and was open to all genetic counselors (n = 5,531 based on professional society membership). Survey response rate was approximately 3.8% (n = 212/5,531), with a demographic distribution broadly representative of the North American genetic counseling field. Genetic counselors remained largely employed, providing genetic counseling services throughout the pandemic, although almost one in five respondents (17%, n = 35/211) reported experiencing some degree of pandemic-related financial hardship. Nearly all respondents (90%, n = 104/115) transitioned, at least in part, to remote work settings, with about half (47%. n = 88/189) reporting restrictions in the care they were able to provide. These shifts came at a cost: existing gaps in Medicare status for genetic counselors and attendant reimbursement concerns led to uncertainty about whether genetic counselors' work will be reimbursed. Outside of work, caregiving responsibilities increased for 34% (n = 74/212) of respondents. The results of the GCSIS amplify the importance of federal- and state-level advocacy efforts for genetic counselors and their employers. They also highlight the impact of broader cultural intransigence on our majority-female profession. During the pandemic, genetic counselors continued to provide care, but without consistent financial support or expectation of reimbursement. The ability to attract and retain talented professionals to the genetic counseling field will hinge on the success of continued advocacy efforts.
《遗传咨询师 SARS-CoV-2 影响调查》（GCSIS）描述了大流行对遗传咨询师和遗传咨询服务的影响。有了这些信息，美国遗传咨询师协会（NSGC）可以更好地：（1）支持联邦和州一级的遗传咨询服务的宣传和获取工作；（2）促进通过远程医疗提供的遗传咨询服务的有效计费和报销；（3）就如何最好地支持遗传咨询师做出决策。该调查由 LunaDNA 提供的新型数据收集和分析平台主办，面向所有遗传咨询师（根据专业协会会员身份，共有 5531 名）开放。调查回应率约为 3.8%（n=212/5531），其人口统计学分布在很大程度上代表了北美的遗传咨询领域。尽管大约五分之一的受访者（17%，n=35/211）报告经历了某种程度的与大流行相关的经济困难，但遗传咨询师仍主要受雇，并在整个大流行期间提供遗传咨询服务。几乎所有受访者（90%，n=104/115）至少部分过渡到远程工作环境，其中约一半（47%，n=88/189）报告他们提供的服务受到限制。这些转变是有代价的：遗传咨询师的医疗保险地位存在现有差距，以及随之而来的报销问题，导致遗传咨询师的工作是否会得到报销存在不确定性。在工作之外，34%（n=74/212）的受访者增加了照顾责任。GCSIS 的结果强调了联邦和州一级为遗传咨询师及其雇主进行宣传的重要性。它们还突出了更广泛的文化不妥协对我们以女性为主的职业的影响。在大流行期间，遗传咨询师继续提供护理，但没有得到持续的财务支持或报销预期。吸引和留住有才华的专业人士进入遗传咨询领域的能力将取决于持续宣传工作的成功。
