SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — More than 83% of primary care providers (PCPs) want more patients to talk to them about mental health issues and concerns so they can provide better overall care, according to the latest GeneSight® Mental Health Monitora national survey of countless genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN). However, the spring 2022 survey results showed that only 1 in 4 patients received a depression screening from their PCP.
More than half of the doctors surveyed don’t think patients know that PCPs and nurse practitioners (NPs) are fully trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions.
“When a patient walks into my practice, they may not even realize that their symptoms could indicate depression, anxiety or another mental health condition,” said Michele Long, a nurse practitioner in Lancaster, Ohio. “It would be great if patients knew it’s okay to raise concerns. However, it’s also my responsibility to ask the right questions, whether it’s having my patient complete a mental health screening or just asking them myself.”
More than half of PCPs said they wait to discuss specific mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, until a concern is raised by a patient, or when the results of an exam or evaluation indicate the need.
“I felt comfortable talking to Michele about my mental health issues because she created a warm and nurturing environment,” said Beth, a patient of Michele Long. “Having her acknowledge my symptoms and the difficulties she was having, both with my depression and with the medications she was taking that weren’t working, she made me feel validated.”
Treat vs refer: the challenge of primary care
More than six in 10 (63%) PCP/NPs have increased referrals to mental health specialists in the last two years, despite the scarcity of care available.
“Primary care providers are now fighting two battles at once: more and more patients are experiencing mental health issues, but fewer specialists are available to refer them,” said Fred Fantazzia, general manager of Mental Health at Myriad Genetics. “PCPs want to provide quality mental health care so their patients can have a better chance at a better quality of life, and the GeneSight test is a tool that can help them do that.”
According to the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor, only 18% of responding prescribers in primary care use an available tool, such as pharmacogenomic testing, to help inform their mental health medication treatment plan.
Pharmacogenomics (PGx) testing, such as the GeneSight psychotropic test, can help PCPs monitor the mental health of their patients. The GeneSight test looks at clinically important genetic variations that may affect how a patient metabolizes and responds to certain FDA-approved medications used in the treatment of depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other mental health conditions. The test is intended to supplement other information considered by a physician as part of a comprehensive medical evaluation.
Before seeing Michele, Beth saw another doctor who prescribed medication for depression, but it didn’t help her feel better; in fact, she said, “I didn’t feel any emotion at all.” Michele ordered the GeneSight test for Beth and used the information to change her prescription. Today, Beth says she “feels so much better” and more like herself.
The report provides doctors with information about which medications may require dosage adjustments, be less likely to work, or have a higher risk of side effects based on a patient’s genetic information.
“Using GeneSight has significantly reduced the number of referrals I make to other specialists,” said Paul Linson, a nurse practitioner at Good Clinic in Minneapolis. “GeneSight helps me get to the ‘why’: why drugs in the past may have failed, why a drug may need to be tried again, giving it more time to work.”
About the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor
GeneSight Mental Health Monitor is a national survey of primary care physicians and nurse practitioners conducted online by ACUPOLL Precision Research, Inc. from August 16-30, 2022. The margin of error in the survey results for the total base population with 95% confidence the interval is +/- 4%
About GeneSight® Proof
Myriad Genetics’ GeneSight Psychotropic Test is the category-leading pharmacogenomic test for 64 commonly prescribed drugs for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions. The GeneSight test can help inform doctors about how a patient’s genes may affect how they metabolize and/or respond to certain psychiatric medications. Tens of thousands of physicians have ordered the GeneSight test for more than 2 million patients in order to receive unique genetic information for each patient. The GeneSight test supplements other information considered by a physician as part of a comprehensive medical evaluation. Learn more at GeneSight.com.
About Myriad Genetics
Myriad Genetics is a leading genetic testing and precision medicine company dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of all. Myriad develops and offers genetic tests that help assess the risk of developing disease or disease progression and guide treatment decisions in all medical specialties where genetic insights can significantly improve patient care and reduce costs of care. medical. Fast Company named Myriad among the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2022. For more information, visit www.myriad.com.
Myriad, the Myriad logo, BRACAnalysis, BRACAnalysis CDx, Colaris, Colaris AP, MyRisk, Myriad MyRisk, MyRisk Hereditary Cancer, MyChoice CDx, Prequel, Prequel with Amplify, Amplify, Foresight, Precise, FirstGene, SneakPeek, Health.Illuminated., RiskScore, Prolaris, UroSuite, GeneSight, and EndoPredict are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. © 2022 Myriad Genetics, Inc. All rights reserved.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the benefits of the GeneSight psychoactive test. These “forward-looking statements” are based on management’s expectations of future events as of the date hereof and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, conditions and events to differ. materially and adversely of those. anticipated. Such factors include the risks described in the company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 25, 2022, as well as any updates of those risk factors reported from time to time in the company’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K.
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