Six years ago, I started a journey to create a health care company that would bridge the gap between available genomic technology and current medical practices. At the time, despite the existence of incredible medical achievements and the advancement of DNA sequencing, many physicians, patients and others still lacked access to the advantages of genetic testing and genomic-based medicine.
My vision was simple: Bring genomic medicine to everyday care for patients everywhere.
Partnering with co-founders Randy Scott and Robert Green, we built a company that provides rapid access to expert genetic health care to give people the power to improve their health and well being.
Six years later, the Genome Medical team provides services in all 50 states plus Canada. We are a covered benefit for 160 million people through 30 health plans, and our extensive ecosystem of 50+ partners includes leading health systems, leading molecular diagnostic testing labs and large employer organizations. At our core, we are dedicated to providing better access to genetic care for patients all around the country.
I am often asked what it means to provide “personalized medicine.” To answer that question, I like to first look at the potential impact of genomics at a population level. Approximately 7 percent of the population has a genetic condition and much of this goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. About 30 percent of an individual’s risk for certain diseases are attributable to their genes. This varies by condition but includes risks for cancer and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, about 90 percent of us are carriers of serious conditions that could manifest in a child if our partners carry the same condition. And approximately 85 percent of the population has factors that affect which medications can help them. Imagine if you could have access to critical health data about yourself, your parent or your child that gives you the power to improve treatment choices and health care options. Imagine if we could improve our ability to predict, diagnose and treat disease across entire populations. This is personalized medicine. And this is what we’re working towards.
I am most proud of the patient impact we are delivering and the amazing team we have assembled, bringing together clinical leaders in the field of genomics alongside top technology talent to reinvent genetics care. We have pioneered a virtual care delivery model and are building clinical support solutions to put standard-of-care genetic and genomic medicine within reach of every individual who can benefit. For me, success is in bringing forward genomic based medicine to the average individual by a decade. This will have a profound impact on how we deliver medicine to vast patient populations, saving lives and reducing the cost of care.
I also asked my co-founders, Robert and Randy, what they were most proud of, and here is what they shared:
Robert Green: “My research at Harvard Medical School has been focused on understanding and lowering the barriers that impede the implementation of genomic medicine. One of those barriers has been the lack of availability of genetics expertise to patients and physicians around the country. I am tremendously proud that Genome Medical has discovered ways to use technology to bring genetics expertise to more than 100,000 patients and is on a path to reach more than a million patients in the next few years. Genome Medical is closing the implementation gap and accelerating the integration of genomic science into the practice of medicine!”
Randy Scott: “It is amazing to me that the vast majority of medicine today is performed with no knowledge of the genetic makeup of the individual despite the fact that genetics is involved in every aspect of human health. I'm most proud of the fact that Genome Medical is now bringing state-of-the-art genomic medicine to every community and town in America by making it more accessible and affordable for all.”
Being a mission-driven organization is not possible without an amazing team. What started with three of us has grown to nearly 200 people (spanning two countries and 40 states) who thrive in a company culture that fosters respect internally and externally, professionally and personally. It has always been my goal to ensure the diversity of our company reflects the diversity of the patients we serve. Everyone at Genome Medical is committed to protecting and advancing human health across all ethnic, racial and geographic groups.
Two years ago, we started our Force for Good initiative which is designed to make advancements in the following areas:
- Break down inequities in access to health care through education
- Support research initiatives that advance diversity
- Build a diverse team that better represents our patient population
- Provide outreach to underserved communities and service to underrepresented populations
We also launched a Force for Good high school essay contest to encourage underrepresented high school populations to consider the genetic counseling field.
Looking back over the past six years, I am proud to say our team has courageously and fearlessly advanced genetic health care delivery. We are accelerating our pace in driving innovation in service delivery to reach a broad and diverse population and to continue to break down barriers to access. Our success will be measured by the number of lives we reach and the number of lives we save.
I am so proud of our team and the work we do every day to advance access to genomic based medicine.
Sincerely,
Lisa Alderson
Co-founder and CEO
Genome Medical