Read More: Easy-to-read, but thorough test results report

With a standard CMA service, test results are usually only one or two pages in length and are often difficult to interpret.

A lot of time can be spent by a healthcare provider trying to research the information provided in the test result and then explain the often times complex findings to families. What Lineagen does through our FirstStep^Dx PLUS® CMA service is providing a comprehensive report that always has two sections: A provider results section as well as a family results section.

Provider results section

The provider results section is going to contain the standard information that a provider expects from a laboratory:

• All of the demographic information on the patient for whom the test was ordered.
• The date the test was ordered.
• The date the sample was collected.
• A table showing the genetic variant or variance identified.
• The methodology and the platform used for the test.
• Citations of all scientific articles used to write the report.

Family results section

Lineagen goes on to add a whole second layer, the family results section. The family results section is provided to every doctor, but it can easily then be provided to the patient and family.

The family results section is written at an eighth or ninth grade reading level that doesn't require the family to have a medical background to read it. It has pictures and definitions about some of the genetic terms used. And it even has links to support groups or family advocacy groups where the parents can talk to others who have had the same diagnosis and who've experienced some of the same challenges their child may be experiencing.

Read More: Lineagen provides access to genetic counselors when appropriate

When a provider orders a CMA, they want to know that they're ordering it from a laboratory that has experience and knowledge about CMA interpretation. It is standard for most labs to have one review of results by a Ph.D. level scientist.

Lineagen uses a multi-disciplinary approach

Lineagen takes a completely unique approach. We use a multi-disciplinary team to interpret an individual's result and package that into an understandable report. We use Ph.D. cytogeneticists, a team of licensed and certified genetic counselors and a medical geneticist to evaluate these results.

Our genetic counselors are reviewing medical records to assist in report interpretation. We use medical records to get additional details. That's going to help us do the best job of providing an accurate interpretation and an explanation for this family.

Read More: Lineagen is the only company focused solely on delayed development

Unlike many large reference laboratories, where hundreds of tests are being run, Lineagen focuses on CMA for individuals with developmental disabilities.

We don’t perform CMA on alternate sample types such as cancer tissue, amniotic fluid, chorionic villi because we want to focus all of our energy and resources on the assessment of chromosomes from individuals with developmental disabilities.

Committed to children

Our team is familiar with this territory. We know the genomic regions that should be flagged and we know the areas associated with these developmental disabilities. Lineagen is focused on not only assessing those risks, but also communicating those risks to the provider and making it easier for that provider to communicate those risks to his or her patients and their families.