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  • Quality Improvement Article
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Asynchronous telemedicine for clinical genetics consultations in the NICU: a single center’s solution

Journal of Perinatology volume 42, pages 262–268 (2022)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background

Many infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have genetic disorders or birth defects. The demand for genetic services is often complicated by a shortage of genetic providers.

Problem

Our hospital experienced a significant reduction in genetic workforce, leading to insufficient genetic services to meet demand.

Methods

The Plan-Do-Study-Act method of quality improvement was used to assess available resources, select an intervention plan, and collect patient outcome and provider satisfaction data.

Intervention

An asynchronous telehealth model was deployed for clinical genetics consultations in our NICU utilizing a remote clinical geneticist.

Results

The pilot study included 111 asynchronous telehealth consultations; 21% received a genetic diagnosis before discharge. Diagnoses were primarily chromosomal and single gene disorders. Referring NICU providers reported high satisfaction.

Conclusion

Asynchronous telehealth for clinical genetics is a feasible and successful alternative to an on-site clinical geneticist and should be considered in areas with a genetic workforce shortage.

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Fig. 1: Process flow for asynchronous telegenetics NICU consultations.
Fig. 2: Patient hometown distribution and locations of genetic services.
Fig. 3: Diagnoses made with clinical genetics consultation via asynchronous telehealth.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Bethany Robinette, FNP and her efforts in the role of genetic NP.

Funding

The University of Mississippi Medical Center provided financial support for the hiring of the remote clinical geneticist.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA

    Emily Boothe, Brayden West, Laura Godfrey Hendon, Julie D. Kaplan & Brian Kirmse

  2. Fetal Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA

    Laura Godfrey Hendon

Authors
  1. Emily Boothe
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  2. Brayden West
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  3. Laura Godfrey Hendon
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  4. Julie D. Kaplan
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  5. Brian Kirmse
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Contributions

EB: conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, project administration, writing-original draft, writing-review, and editing. BW: data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing-original draft, writing-review, and editing. LH: conceptualization, methodology, writing-original draft, writing-review, and editing. JK: conceptualization, methodology, writing-original draft, writing-review, and editing. BK: conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, project administration, resources, supervision, writing-original draft, writing-review, and editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emily Boothe.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Boothe, E., West, B., Hendon, L.G. et al. Asynchronous telemedicine for clinical genetics consultations in the NICU: a single center’s solution. J Perinatol 42, 262–268 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-021-01070-1

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