HomeProvider StoriesAny tool that can give us data, helps everyone feel more comfortable Any tool that can give us data, helps everyone feel more comfortable September 8, 2020 Hasan Raza, PA-CWisconsin As a physician assistant at a psychiatric and mental health facility in Wisconsin, I have administered nearly 100 GeneSight tests to patients ranging in age from 5 to 70. Many of my patients have been referred by inpatient hospitals with limited available psychiatric care. We now use the GeneSight test as part of the intake process. Insurance is requiring shorter and shorter windows of time for day treatment to succeed. Considering that some antidepressants can take more than two weeks [for a patient to see symptom relief], the faster we can get there the better. I began using the GeneSight test to help improve patient adherence to treatment. I believe the GeneSight test allows patients to trust that the medications chosen will help reduce their risk for side effects. If you want to get patients on board, you have to give them a real opportunity to succeed. As a result, I have seen an increase in trust between me and my patients, 30% of whom are seniors. They’ve tried a lot and are reluctant to try more. The GeneSight test helps them to understand why medications failed. They get a possible explanation and learn what options are out there. They are more involved and more willing to try. Using Data for Treatment Decisions The GeneSight test has made my treatment decisions more efficient and consistent. The clinical considerations in the GeneSight report are critically important, particularly the report’s in-depth look at the P450 system (a protein that plays a key role in drug metabolism). Mental health has no data to start with. Data is there to help you make decisions, not confuse you. The data from GeneSight test results has helped me counsel patients who may be resistant to medication. I was treating a six-year-old child with mental health issues who was starting first grade. The child’s parents were very opposed to using medication treatment. Yet, during consultation with them, I talked about how I choose medications with the help of the GeneSight test. With this data in hand, the parents “got on board right away.” The child started on an appropriate medication, which his parents believed helped the child’s school experience. In fact, both parents then wanted the GeneSight test for themselves. After each parent started on medications, they acknowledged the GeneSight test had opened their eyes, and said it changed their whole outlook. I am a big advocate for the GeneSight test. Any tool that can give us data and individualize treatment plans, helps everyone feel more comfortable. 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