Genetic counsellors: facilitating the integration of genomics into health care

Genomic testing is integral across all areas of health care and is a cornerstone of modern medicine. Beyond diagnosing rare conditions, genomic testing is routinely used to inform reproductive and prenatal care, augment risk assessments, guide therapies and inform management at the individual and public health level. There are over 25 conditions with federally funded Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item numbers to deliver germline diagnostic genomic testing, including cancers, cardiac conditions, renal conditions and childhood hearing loss. Additional genomic testing is funded by state and territory public health departments and private out‐of‐pocket payments. The exponential growth of genomics knowledge and use in health care is likely to continue. Given its clinical value, genomic testing is increasingly offered by clinicians who do not have genetics subspecialty qualifications (referred to as non‐genetics clinicians), which has necessitated further education and upskilling of these clinicians. Although mainstreaming has been successful in some settings,1 most health services and clinicians are insufficiently prepared or resourced to address the complexities of genomic medicine.2,3