title: Evaluating stakeholder's perspective on referred out genetic testing in Canada: a discrete choice experiment.
abstract: The expanding number and increasing utility of clinical genetic tests is creating a growing burden on the Canadian healthcare system. Administrators are faced with the challenge of determining which genetic tests should be publicly funded. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was utilized to assess the importance stakeholders place on five attributes of a genetic test. One hundred ninety individuals completed the DCE questions. Analysis of the data revealed that medical benefit of a test had the greatest impact on a respondent's decision to select a test for funding. The detection rate of the test ranked second in importance followed by severity of the condition, aim of the test, and cost. With limited resources available for referred out molecular genetic testing within a public healthcare setting such as Canada's, funding guidelines are critical. Our findings provide further evidence for the value of a decision-making framework and the relative importance of specific test attributes within such a framework.
authors.affiliation: Genetic Laboratory Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blumenschein
authors.affiliation: Genetic Laboratory Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lilley
authors.affiliation: Patient Health Outcomes Research and Clinical Effectiveness Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bakal
authors.affiliation: Genetic Laboratory Services, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Christian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006281:Health Occupations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: discrete choice experiment; genetic testing; health care policy; resource allocation