5 Ways a Women’s Genetic Testing Provider Should Align with Your Value-Based Care Goals

• John Oberg, SVP Business Development/Strategy, Myriad Genetics

Value-based care is still very much a long-term strategy within large and mid-size health systems.  

While it aims to reduce costs, it also prioritizes improving patient outcomes and experiences—which may, at times, require strategic investments in technology, specialized services, or care coordination. But how does a women’s health genetic testing program fit into such a strategy, or even work as a catalyst toward realizing it? 

It is critically important to select a genetic testing laboratory that can collaborate with your organization and deliver best-in-class genetic testing as well as the tools and general support necessary to implement screening, education, workflow, and training. Here are five ways a women’s health genetic testing provider should align with your value-based care goals:  

1. A right-test, right-time approach. A strong genetic testing provider delivers medical insights that can help mitigate inefficiencies, enhance utilization, and avoid unnecessary testing or treatments. This aligns with the perspective of many health system C-suites today: deliver timely, actionable genetic information that has clear medical management guidelines and addresses all of the essential, appropriate risk factors. Meeting this mandate demands a genetic testing provider that is focused on accurate testing and the associated workflow, training, and education support for the patient and the provider. 

2. Testing depth to drive population health management. Identifying trends that emerge from large sets of data within specific health populations can be highly valuable. Having a genetic testing provider that can help you analyze data from different patient groups is indispensable for the community that you serve. 

3. Experience in value-based genetic health programs. A testing provider should be able to offer guidance on defining and refining a wellness program based on hereditary risk factors in a system’s patient population, provide input on incorporating genetic testing into a risk assessment program, and help you clinically and operationally along the way. 

4. An education approach for all constituents. Resources like medical science liaisons and board-certified genetic counselors play an important role in evolving to an outcomes-based approach. This includes educating clinicians in their health systems to better inform their patients about the value of the most appropriate test vs. every test available. A good example is educating female patients about performing carrier screening before becoming pregnant rather than after. Recent studies suggest that although a significant proportion of women opt for carrier screening after becoming pregnant, the uptake is higher when offered during preconception.¹ This is especially important among underserved patient populations. 

5. A health system circle of care patient retention philosophy. A genetic testing provider who engages on-site helps to eliminate friction that limits collaboration or pushes referrals outside the system. This approach includes providing actionable genetic insights throughout a woman’s healthcare journey, with screening at regular check-ups, in-the-moment education, clear results reporting, and any necessary referrals kept within the health system. 

Value-based care and the four Ps 

Value-based care prioritizes prevention, wellness, and outcomes for patients. Genetic testing aligns with these priorities in four primary ways: 

• Precision – delivering accurate insight into hereditary cancer risk, family planning, prenatal care, mental health medication response, and other categories. 

• Prevention – identifying potential health risks early and implementing medical management strategies before conditions manifest symptoms or become difficult and costly to address. 

• Personalization – incorporating actionable insights from each patient’s genetic data – something that consumers are seeking out.²  

• Privacy – safeguarding patient information, such as inherited risk factors that carry potential implications far beyond the exam room. 

Genetic testing providers recognize the hurdles involved in value-based care 

Moving to value-based care requires overcoming various administrative challenges given the numerous stakeholder collaborations involved between the payers, providers, patients, and diagnostic laboratories that serve a given health system.   

Annual wellness checks are an important part of a value-based care model, which increase workloads for clinicians and administrative staff. Reimbursement is still a challenge as well as education and training, in part because most medical professionals in practice today are not well versed on how to use genetic information to drive wellness (versus responding to sickness).  

A true team effort 

What could value-based care in women’s genetic testing look like? One midsized midwestern health system determines in advance of annual wellness visits whether hereditary cancer testing is appropriate for each patient. After genetic testing is ordered and results are interpreted, providers offer appropriate referrals or next steps based on the findings. Guiding them through the post-test process helps ensure continuity of care. As new medical management protocols become available, the patient’s care plan should be revisited and adapted accordingly.  

This sort of wraparound, outcomes-focused program is an excellent example of how a health system and a genetic testing provider can work together toward value-based care. Again, to show traction and generate measurably better outcomes, it must be a shared commitment from everyone in the process – from the clinicians administering tests to the patients tested to the payers negotiating costs. But one thing is clear: choosing a test provider with value-based care experience, a right-test, right-time approach, analytical insight, and a passion for clear genetic education is an essential part of the equation.  

References

1. Arjunan A, Darnes DR, Sagaser KG, Svenson AB. Addressing reproductive healthcare disparities through equitable carrier screening: medical racism and genetic discrimination in United States’ history highlights the needs for change in obstetrical genetics care. Societies. 2022;12(2):33. doi:10.3390/soc12020033. MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/12/2/33 
2. CVS Health. Consumers want a more connected, personal health care experience, new CVS Health study reveals. CVS Health. July 11, 2022. Accessed April 10, 2025. https://www.cvshealth.com/news/innovation/consumers-want-a-more-connected-personal-health-care-experience.html