1 in 5 Michigan patients found at risk through genetic screening program.

A pilot program in southeast Michigan is offering free genetic screening to existing patients to test for early indicators of treatable medical conditions like heart disease and cancer. Testing screens for 167 genes and can detect disease decades before symptoms would appear. At-risk patients are then connected with genetic counselors and work with their primary care physician to come up with a customized prevention plan. Since June 2022, participating offices have completed more than 500 genetic tests, with actionable results found in about 20% of patients. The health system's goal is to test 1,000 patients within the first year, and 10,000 patients and their family members over the next three years.