Improving team-based care: Developing a toolkit for hiring and utilizing cancer genetic counselors.

74 Background: Genetic counseling is an important aspect of quality and guideline-concordant care. However, known gaps exist in access to and receipt of genetic counseling and testing services across the United States. To help address these gaps, the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) in partnership with the Association of Cancer Care Centers and Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered set out to develop a business case toolkit to support cancer programs in establishing, expanding, or optimizing their cancer genetic counseling and testing services by board-certified genetic counselors (CGCs). Methods: In 2024, NSGC conducted a landscape analysis (February-April) and semi-structured interviews (July-December) with 10 individuals representing CGCs, physicians, and administrators from diverse practice types including private, community, and academic centers. The goal was to document current evidence related to the role and value of cancer CGCs, effective cancer genetics program models, and challenges/facilitators to incorporation of CGCs, which would then inform content of the toolkit. Results: Common challenges that hindered an organization’s ability to hire or expand their existing CGC team were lack of awareness regarding the clinical role and value of CGCs and navigating organizational culture, including finance and operations. Facilitators of successful business cases included demonstration of: the value of CGCs (e.g., improved patient outcomes/satisfaction, increased quality of care/care coordination, delivery of equitable care), the financial impact of CGCs (e.g., downstream revenue, patient retention), and the variety of available genetic counseling staffing models (e.g., onsite, extender, outsourced). Conclusions: Based on these results, NSGC developed a business case toolkit, which includes guidance on how to build buy-in, assess needs, craft key messages for different stakeholders, track metrics with sample dashboards, and apply lessons learned from genetic counseling program business case success stories. The toolkit launched in May of 2025, with dissemination and evaluation activities planned over the next year.