Genetic Counselor - Oncology Support Services

Munson Healthcare•Traverse City, MI

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located at the Cowell Family Cancer Center in Traverse City, Michigan. The role involves providing genetic counseling services, primarily focusing on oncology support. The Genetic Counselor will embrace and support the Performance Improvement philosophy of Munson Healthcare, promote personal and patient safety, and understand Relationship-Based Care principles. Key responsibilities include managing referrals, collecting patient data, constructing pedigrees, reviewing medical histories, assessing psychosocial factors, and summarizing information for physician review. The role also involves conducting pre-authorizations and insurance verification for genetic counseling and testing, staying updated on reimbursement trends, and counseling patients and families about testing, risks, benefits, and potential results. The Genetic Counselor will arrange for special laboratory testing, act as an advocate for families, communicate test results, provide follow-up counseling, coordinate additional testing, and arrange for necessary medical consultations and referrals. Collaboration with other facilities and community providers to develop new processes and programs is also expected. The position requires performing other duties as assigned.

Requirements

A Master's degree from an accredited genetic counseling program.
Board certified or board eligible in genetic counseling by either the American Board of Medical Genetics (ABMG) or the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC).

Nice To Haves

Minimum of two years clinical experience preferred.
Ability to work independently in decision-making, management issues, and problem solving are desirable.

Responsibilities

Conducts and/or delegates intake of all referrals.
Collect all relevant data via initial contact and follows up via telephone, e-mail, or mail from the referring physician.
Includes family history, construction of a multi-generational pedigree, reviewing all relevant medical histories and assessing psychosocial factors.
Summarizes all information in an organized manner and, when needed, reviews cases with a physician.
On a patient by patient basis, may conduct pre-authorization and insurance verification of benefits for genetic counseling and testing.
Keeps abreast of trends with reimbursement in the area of genetic counseling and testing (including tumor-genetic and genomic testing).
Counsel patients and families about nature of testing, risks, benefits, and possible results.
Arranges special laboratory testing (e.g., specimen collection, processing of specimens, billing), such as molecular DNA testing, skin biopsies, chromosome analysis, etc., explaining test, potential results and implications to the family.
Serves as an advocate for families.
Communicates and interprets normal and abnormal test results to patients.
Counsel patients following testing and provide appropriate follow-up, counseling and coordination of any additional testing.
Arranges for additional medical consultations and referrals as necessary.
Initiates referrals to appropriate local and community agencies.
Assists with research protocols involving tumor-genetic and genomic testing and germ-line testing.
Collaborates with MHC facilities and community providers to develop new processes and programs that enhance delivery of care in line with best practices.
Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.