Partnership combines AI technology and
telehealth genetic counseling services to improve access and
quality of care through early interventions for children with
developmental conditions
SOUTH
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and ATLANTA, May 20, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- FDNA Inc, the leader in the early detection of rare
genetic diseases, and Genome Medical, the nation's leading
telehealth provider of genetic services, have partnered to empower
parents to detect potential developmental, neurological and genetic
conditions in their children and connect with specialists quickly –
a move that may shorten the diagnostic odyssey for children from an
average of five years to a few months.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC),
developmental disabilities affect one in six children in the U.S.,
and many of these children also have underlying genetic conditions.
Too many families struggle for years to find the right care for
their children and are often faced with the lifelong impact of a
late diagnosis. FDNA enables the early detection of developmental
and genetic disorders for families and children through their Child
Development Checker app, an AI powered image analysis and care
management tool.
The FDNA app identifies patients with potential genetic
conditions and connects them with Genome Medical for genetic
counseling and testing services for assessment and diagnosis – all
from the comfort of their own homes. This partnership supports and
may greatly reduce families' diagnostic journeys. Genome Medical's
nationwide virtual care delivery model delivers genetics care to
patients seven days a week with appointments available within a
week.
Approximately 6,000 families access FDNA's Child Development
Checker app monthly. On average, 90 percent live more than an hour
drive from a medical center, 80 percent are from small towns and
rural areas that are often medically underserved and approximately
40 percent are ethnic minorities. Providing fast, virtual access to
diagnostic and telehealth genetic services to families with
significant barriers to care and shortening their diagnostic
journey may provide significant positive impact on the current
treatment options and future quality of life for children with
genetic conditions.
"Geography creates incredible inequities in healthcare when
patient access is hours away and knowledge of the healthcare system
is not readily available," says Kiley
Johnson, chief clinical officer, Genome Medical. "Genome
Medical and FDNA share a common vision for breaking down barriers
to access and empowering families to seek the answers they need to
pursue the right care. For parents, every day matters when you
don't have a diagnosis for your child. We are potentially
shortening that path to diagnosis so parents can seek the care
their children need."
"Over the last six months we helped 35,000 families be better
advocates for their child's health with the help of the Child
Development Checker. Of those, 12 percent of children were
recommended for genetic review and/or testing, and an additional 34
percent have been flagged for developmental disabilities or delays
that may include a neurological or genetic issue," says
Erik A. Feingold, CEO, FDNA.
"Through this partnership, we expect to see an increase in
diagnoses, with plans to connect more patients with clinical trials
and therapies."
About FDNA
FDNA is the world leader in AI-powered
image analysis to expedite the detection of developmental and
genetic disorders. Used across 7,000 medical centers and trusted by
70% of global geneticists, FDNA offers a digital front door
for pediatric health providers, decision support tools for
diagnosis, care management tools for therapy, and streamlined
interoperability between patients, and the pharmaceutical
industry.
Learn more about FDNA's innovative technology and its impact on
global healthcare at www.fdna.com or follow us
on LinkedIn.
About Genome Medical
Genome Medical, is making
genetics care accessible and actionable for patients through
seven-day-a-week access to clinical genetic services. By partnering
with health systems, molecular testing laboratories and life
sciences organizations, we expand the practice and impact of
genomic medicine to improve patient care. With our team of
genetics providers we support our partners by providing expert
clinical services including pre- and post-test genetic counseling,
genetic test review and authorization, genetic risk assessments and
genetic program advisory services. Our real-world data (RWD) and
clinical trial matching offerings help accelerate our partners'
therapy development and commercialization efforts. Genome
Medical placed No. 663 on the 2023 Inc. 5000 list of fastest
growing private companies in America, received the MedTech
Breakthrough 2024 "Best Overall Genomics Award" and 2023
"Genomics Innovation Award" and has been recognized as the "Top 50
in Digital Health" by Fenwick & West and Goldman Sachs. To
learn more, visit genomemedical.com and follow @GenomeMed.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fdna-and-genome-medical-improve-access-to-critical-diagnostic-services-for-children-in-medically-underserved-areas-302149546.html
SOURCE Genome Medical