HomeProvider StoriesPatients want to get better; providers want to keep patients Patients want to get better; providers want to keep patients July 10, 2017 Catherine Poulos, NP “Patients want to get better; healthcare providers want to keep their patients.” Read the transcript My name is Catherine Poulos, I’m a Delta Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, board certified. I see a variety of patients, I have patients I’m treating for depression and anxiety, ADHD, schizophrenia, mood disorders, it’s pretty diverse. My biggest challenge is trying to find the right medication for the right patient at the right dosage, most certainly. Before I used the GeneSight testing my method for practicing was similar to getting a dartboard and trying to throw the dart and see whether or not it would stick and whether or not the patient would actually have some results from the medication. To date my experience with the genetic testing being paid by insurance companies, predominantly Medicaid and Medicare are very receptive in paying for it. It actually helps also to facilitate getting products or medications that were not normally covered on the plans to now being accepted on the plans. So it gives me a tool to fight for the patient, you know, to have the appropriate medication for them that’s going to get them, you know, stabilized. What convinced me for the efficacy of GeneSight, was I actually saw, when I looked at the clinical data that GeneSight actually conducted, they had four predominant studies. And it showed how 70% of the patients that were using genetic testing actually got to stabilization a lot quicker versus treatment as usual and that dartboard mentality. So what ended up happening is, I actually saw that with my patients, you know, their data was coming to true to life with my population. GeneSight has really helped me prescribing medications appropriately for my patients because there were so many varieties of things that I can choose from. What GeneSight has helped me to do is actually pulled it down to the ones that will be specifically appropriate for that patient. What’s wonderful about that is they’re returning back to work sooner, they’re getting out of their homes, they’re enjoying their lives. They’re actually having the quality of life that they deserve to have, readily faster than me trying to guess that. What I would tell a physician why I think genetic testing is appropriate and GeneSight testing is appropriate to use, it’s a tool. This is another tool, similar to a blood test. And if we can use a blood test to find out whether or not they’ve got, you know, a disease disorder, why not use genetic testing that’s going to tell us what medications are best to treat their disorders? It’s similar as that. Patient Common Antidepressant Side Effects Taking an antidepressant can be an effective way to help treat a mental health condition like depression or anxiety. However, these medications can also cre... Read more Patient MTHFR Mutations: Clinical Implications and Management Strategies MTHFR mutations—changes in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene—have gained increased attention in the medical community due to their potent... Read more Patient Can an App Help Me Manage My Anxiety? Health and wellness smartphone apps have become so common that if you can name a health goal, desire or condition, you can probably find an app for it. N... Read more Patient Black Trailblazers of Psychiatry and Mental Health: A Legacy of Healing and Advocacy As we celebrate Black History Month, we want to recognize a few individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of psychiatry and mental heal... Read more Patient Mindful Moments: Tips for Anxiety If a well-meaning friend or family member has ever told you to “just breathe” when you’re feeling worked up or stressed out, you’d be forgiven if you felt l... Read more Patient Hints To Help You Have A Better New Year The holidays have ended, and a new year has begun—a time when many embrace a fresh start by setting New Year’s resolutions. This year, why not consider s... Read more Patient Movement as Medicine: Solutions for Anxiety Moving forward. It sounds like a nice idea, especially when you’re feeling stuck deep in the throes of an anxiety spiral. But it turns out that physically m... Read more Patient Weight-Loss Drugs and Mental Health: What You Need to Know New medications for weight loss seem to be flying off pharmacy shelves these days. But could they be linked to mental health conditions? Researchers are ... Read more Patient 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We’re thrilled to share that 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We're so grateful to the dedicated healthcare providers who... Read more Patient The Model Minority Myth and Mental Health The model minority myth stereotypes one cultural group, typically Asian Americans, as “intelligent, hard-working, and diligent and therefore more academically, ... Read more Learn more Learn more about GeneSight How to talk to your provider View our clinical studies
Patient Common Antidepressant Side Effects Taking an antidepressant can be an effective way to help treat a mental health condition like depression or anxiety. However, these medications can also cre... Read more
Patient MTHFR Mutations: Clinical Implications and Management Strategies MTHFR mutations—changes in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene—have gained increased attention in the medical community due to their potent... Read more
Patient Can an App Help Me Manage My Anxiety? Health and wellness smartphone apps have become so common that if you can name a health goal, desire or condition, you can probably find an app for it. N... Read more
Patient Black Trailblazers of Psychiatry and Mental Health: A Legacy of Healing and Advocacy As we celebrate Black History Month, we want to recognize a few individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of psychiatry and mental heal... Read more
Patient Mindful Moments: Tips for Anxiety If a well-meaning friend or family member has ever told you to “just breathe” when you’re feeling worked up or stressed out, you’d be forgiven if you felt l... Read more
Patient Hints To Help You Have A Better New Year The holidays have ended, and a new year has begun—a time when many embrace a fresh start by setting New Year’s resolutions. This year, why not consider s... Read more
Patient Movement as Medicine: Solutions for Anxiety Moving forward. It sounds like a nice idea, especially when you’re feeling stuck deep in the throes of an anxiety spiral. But it turns out that physically m... Read more
Patient Weight-Loss Drugs and Mental Health: What You Need to Know New medications for weight loss seem to be flying off pharmacy shelves these days. But could they be linked to mental health conditions? Researchers are ... Read more
Patient 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We’re thrilled to share that 3 million patients (and counting!) have now taken the GeneSight test! We're so grateful to the dedicated healthcare providers who... Read more
Patient The Model Minority Myth and Mental Health The model minority myth stereotypes one cultural group, typically Asian Americans, as “intelligent, hard-working, and diligent and therefore more academically, ... Read more