Introduction to the “Technology in Practice” Special Issue

Excerpt

We are thrilled to present the “Technology in Practice” special issue of the Journal of Genetic Counseling. Submissions focus on the use of technology to improve the ways in which patients experience the genetic counseling process, covering an ever-widening spectrum of tools and practice integration points. As illustrated by our collaboration as co-editors, every clinician comes to the integration of technology into a professional life with her or his own foundational experiences. To wit, nearly half of Vickie’s professional career involved working pre-email (although she currently oversees one of the largest clinical video telehealth services in the country). Meanwhile, Meg, while not quite a digital native, has spent her entire genetic counseling career working in health information technology. Recognizing that we each have different experiences with technology in our clinical practice, we sought to highlight counselors’ lived experiences with technology in their practice. Hopefully, our own broad perspectives have helped curate an engaging special issue for genetic counselors of every background and experience level. Our challenge to the authors was to demonstrate the way in which technology is changing practice—and they delivered! You will learn about pedigree programs, EMR communication through portals and with different reporting formats, and the use of telehealth to increase access to care. …