HomeProvider StoriesObjective evidence helps foster patient relationship Objective evidence helps foster patient relationship July 23, 2020 Zhan Yang, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BCTexas As the founder and owner of New Vision Psychiatry & Wellness, I specialize in the treatment and management of mood, anxiety and ADHD disorders, with a special interest in the treatment of OCD, depression and anxiety. I earned my doctorate and am an assistant professor at the University of Texas-Arlington. Many of the patients we see in my clinic have already been treated elsewhere for their depression. Some of the patients have already tried one (or two or ten) different depression medications. So, they are already treatment resistant at that point. The patients who have gone through this trial-and-error process and the failing of medications are often frustrated and fearful. They may have experienced horrible side effects, so they come to me and aren’t confident that I will be able to do anything different than their previous doctors. Objective Evidence & the GeneSight Psychotropic Test I first learned about the GeneSight Psychotropic test from one of my professors in college. In her lesson about pharmacogenomics, she shared the results of her own GeneSight test. It was very interesting, and I was impressed that she was sharing something so personal and that it was rooted in scientific data. When I started my practice, I knew that I wanted to use the GeneSight test with my patients. Prior to becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner, I was a mechanical engineer in Singapore and Sweden, so scientific data is very important to me. I want things to be black-and-white and I want objective evidence. The GeneSight test provides some of that objective evidence. Using the report, I can learn about the patient’s genetic makeup. When I explain the report to my patient, they can see that there might be a genetic reason why the medication they had previously tried didn’t work. As a result, this tool helps me to improve the rapport with my patient and gives us both some confidence that the next medication they are prescribed may work better than their previous medications. Helping Patients Who Have Tried Many Medications I now order the GeneSight test about 2-3 times a week, depending on how many of my new patients have previously tried medications. I have a number of success stories from ordering the GeneSight test for my patients. For example, I have a teenage patient who suffered from really bad depression and anxiety. Her previous medication didn’t alleviate her symptoms and she suffered numerous adverse effects. She became so sick that she had to stay home from school and her mom began to homeschool her. Both she and her parents were so exasperated and scared. Due to her previous experience with medication and their trepidation with trying anything new, I ordered the GeneSight test. When the test came back, I studied the results. Based on what she had tried previously and other factors, I was able to select a new medication that we could try. I’m happy to say that the medication has helped her – she is feeling better and, in fact, she is back to school. I would tell other clinicians considering the GeneSight test this is a helpful tool in the decision-making process. For me, the GeneSight test has really helped me in my practice because it has helped provide genetic information I didn’t have before and it helps me improve my patient rapport. 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... 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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