Rochester Regional Health to expand access to genetic screening

Rochester Regional Health today introduced GenoWell, a new community research initiative designed to help participants better understand their genetic health risks.

GenoWell, in partnership with Helix Research Network, offers no-cost DNA screening to help identify genetic risks for certain cancers and a cause of heart disease that can be missed without genetic testing, officials say. Helix partners with health systems nationwide to integrate genomic data into clinical care, aiming to improve patient outcomes and streamline operations.

“For us, GenoWell is deeply personal,” says Richard “Chip” Davis, CEO of Rochester Regional Health. “Rochester has always been a region of innovators, from the founding of Rochester General and St. Mary’s to the breakthroughs we continue to deliver today. “

GenoWell hopes to reach more than 100,000 adults, age 18 and older, across the region. Participation in the program is voluntary, confidential, and does not require insurance. The screening is expected to provide deeper insight into inherited breast, ovarian and colorectal cancers. High cholesterol is another inherited condition that can be screened for and assist participants in making informed and proactive decisions about their health.

“The benefit of learning that I carry a higher risk for something that I can take action on NOW to help prevent getting sick down the line means that I have more control over my future…and watching my grandbabies grow,” says Sheri Nordberg, a GenoWell participant.

With GenoWell, Rochester Regional Health joins other health systems across North America that are part of the Helix Research Network. This collaboration accelerates the integration of genetic information into everyday clinical care, expanding opportunities to bring novel clinical trials and research to local communities, officials say.

“Long before population health became a national priority, our system helped pioneer one of the country’s first Accountable Care Organizations, GRIPA, which set the stage for the proactive, preventive care that GenoWell now advances,” Davis says. “Serving our communities with compassion and cutting-edge care is in our genes, and GenoWell brings that promise into the 21st century.”

To enroll or learn more about GenoWell, click here. 

Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor.

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