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 Antidepressant Fatigue in Seniors: A Caregiver’s Guide to Reducing Daytime Sleepiness Without Losing Symptom Control You’re spending time with the older adult in your care who also happens to have clinical depression. You’re keeping tabs on how well they’re doing and wheth... Read more Patient Empowering Senior Patient Care with Pharmacogenomics: Insights from the GeneSight Engage Webinar The most recent GeneSight Engage webinar explored how pharmacogenomic testing, particularly the GeneSight® test, is transforming the landscape of mental health ... Read more Patient BIPOC (formerly Minority) Mental Health Month: Breaking Stigma, Building Trust Despite many efforts to stem it, stigma around mental health still exists, particularly in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. July mark... Read more Patient Long-Term Effects of Antidepressants: What Research Shows Anyone who’s ever taken antidepressants for an extended period of time has probably wondered whether they’ll experience long-term effects: After years ... Read more Patient Have a Mindful Summer: Take a Breather with These Simple Exercises Summer is a great time to kick back and relax—if you can find the time. Managing the hustle and bustle of kids off school, planning for fun summer activities an... Read more Patient Barriers at Every Turn: How Systemic and Social Factors Block Men from Mental Health Care Taking the important step of seeking care for mental health isn’t always an easy decision. Uncertainty about the need for care, social stigmas associated wi... 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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 Learn more Learn more about GeneSight How to talk to your provider View our clinical studies
Patient Antidepressant Fatigue in Seniors: A Caregiver’s Guide to Reducing Daytime Sleepiness Without Losing Symptom Control You’re spending time with the older adult in your care who also happens to have clinical depression. You’re keeping tabs on how well they’re doing and wheth... Read more
Patient Empowering Senior Patient Care with Pharmacogenomics: Insights from the GeneSight Engage Webinar The most recent GeneSight Engage webinar explored how pharmacogenomic testing, particularly the GeneSight® test, is transforming the landscape of mental health ... Read more
Patient BIPOC (formerly Minority) Mental Health Month: Breaking Stigma, Building Trust Despite many efforts to stem it, stigma around mental health still exists, particularly in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. July mark... Read more
Patient Long-Term Effects of Antidepressants: What Research Shows Anyone who’s ever taken antidepressants for an extended period of time has probably wondered whether they’ll experience long-term effects: After years ... Read more
Patient Have a Mindful Summer: Take a Breather with These Simple Exercises Summer is a great time to kick back and relax—if you can find the time. Managing the hustle and bustle of kids off school, planning for fun summer activities an... Read more
Patient Barriers at Every Turn: How Systemic and Social Factors Block Men from Mental Health Care Taking the important step of seeking care for mental health isn’t always an easy decision. Uncertainty about the need for care, social stigmas associated wi... Read more
Healthcare Provider Overcoming Side Effect Concerns: Leveraging Pharmacogenomic Insights to Inform Depression and Anxiety Medication Selection Whitnee Brown, a lifelong resident now practicing in Birmingham, Alabama has nearly an entire alphabet following her name, abbreviations for degrees and certifi... Read more
Patient Concerns about Mental Health Medication Side Effects Remain a Barrier to Getting Help for Those Diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety Lisa Roberts has raised a family, reached an impressively high level in her career, and was an anchor for her mother and other family members. When, within ... Read more
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