Halifax-based physicians’ network Virtual Hallway and IWK Health Genetics have joined forces to boost genetic health education among healthcare providers and improve access to specialized genetic services.
The partnership is part of a 12-month commercialization project at IWK through national innovation group CAN Health Network. The partners have developed interactive digital education modules for clinicians to enhance their knowledge and streamline patient care, the partners said in a statement.
New genetics technology has boosted its use in healthcare, but as referrals from community and non-genetic specialist healthcare providers outpace capacity, patients are experiencing increasing wait times to access genetic testing, the partners said.
Educating physicians will help make patient care more efficient and reduce avoidable referrals to medical genetics services.
“Genetic testing has the power to transform patient care, but only if clinicians have the knowledge and support to use it effectively,” said physician Jacob Cookey, Co-founder and Medical Education Lead of Virtual Hallway.
“This partnership with IWK and CAN Health improves genetic health literacy and empowers providers to make informed decisions—aligning with our vision at Virtual Hallway to connect clinicians to the collective wisdom of every other clinician to improve patient care.”
The new education modules are developed by IWK Health and delivered through Virtual Hallway’s platform. The partners said the new collaboration aims to improve the system by:
- Making genetic knowledge mainstream, not niche. Frontline providers can confidently order and interpret tests, instead of waiting for specialist referrals..
- Allowing shorter wait times and faster care. More healthcare professionals with genetic expertise means fewer delays in diagnosis and treatment.
- Healthcare systems scaling smarter. Digital education and streamlined workflows increase access without adding strain to overburdened genetic counselors and specialists.
Virtual Hallway was founded in 2019 after its three psychiatrist founders found they were struggling to schedule and document the phone consults they were performing. They saw that patients were waiting too long for specialist consultations and that these delays were leading to more chronic and disabling conditions.
The company now allows healthcare providers in various provinces to schedule consultations with specialists and streamline communication and record-keeping.
Healthcare providers, health leaders and innovators interested in the new partnership can find more information here.
