The Navigator - Navigenics Blog

Genetic insights into health and wellness

August 14, 2008

Taking your DNA to the doctor

Elissa Levin, M.S., CGC,

Navigenics Genetic Counseling Program Director

Posted 09:55 AM PDT

imageSometimes, knowing what your DNA says about your health isn’t enough – you’d like your doctor to be in the loop as well. But in the busy world of modern medicine, that kind of information sharing may not be as easy as it sounds.

Some physicians, for example, have so many medical advances to keep track of that they may not be accustomed to interpreting new types of genetic results. You and your doctor also usually don’t have as much time to talk as either of you would like. Did you know that the average medical appointment is only about seven minutes these days? That leaves little time to fit in a conversation about personal genetics results. And many people have concerns about whether they want their genetic information entered into their formal medical records.

f you’d like to talk with your physician about your genetic information, here are a few suggestions to help make that conversation more productive:

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Categories: For physicians, Genetic privacy, Working with your doctor, Genetic counseling

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