What is genetics-informed primary care?

Genetics-informed primary care is ongoing primary care for adults in which the same physician also brings training in clinical genetics. Your family history, any genetic test results and your inherited risk become part of everyday care, rather than a separate referral you manage on your own. At OriginalMD in Denver, this is how Patrick Long, MD, practices: one physician, board-certified in family medicine and trained in medical genetics, providing both.

Genetics-informed primary care, in plain words

Primary care is the medical home most adults already know. The American Academy of Family Physicians describes it as care that is continuous and comprehensive: prevention and screening, care for acute illnesses such as an infection or an injury, and long-term management of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes, all coordinated over time by a physician who knows you.

Genetics-informed describes what is added to that foundation:

A detailed family history. A three-generation family history, sometimes drawn as a family tree called a pedigree, records which conditions run in your family, the ages at which relatives were diagnosed, and causes of death where known.
Testing only when it answers a question. A genetic test is chosen when it can answer a defined clinical question, not as a routine add-on.
Interpreting results, including uncertain ones. Many results are not a simple yes or no. A variant (a difference in a gene) may be well understood, or it may be a "variant of uncertain significance" whose meaning is not yet known.
Applying results where guidelines exist. In some situations, established guidelines use genetic information to shape screening, prevention or medication choices. Pharmacogenomics, the study of how genes affect the way a person responds to certain medications, is one example: guidelines from the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) use a gene result to guide the choice or dose of some drugs.

Because one physician does both, there is one plan, not two separate sets of advice to reconcile.

Who it's for

Genetics-informed primary care is for adults, from early adulthood through late life. It may be a fit if you:

live with a rare or inherited condition
have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility or another connective tissue disorder
have symptoms across several body systems with no unifying diagnosis
have a family history that worries you, such as several relatives with the same condition or illness at young ages
have prior results you want explained, including a variant of uncertain significance or a finding from a consumer genetic test
received a genetic diagnosis as a child and have had no follow-up as an adult
simply want your genetic information considered as part of routine care

Who it isn't for

Children. Pediatric care is not offered.
Emergencies. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you are in emotional crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Government health programs. If you are enrolled in Medicaid, including Health First Colorado or any other state Medicaid program, or in TRICARE, CHAMPVA, VA health benefits, or another government health benefit program, OriginalMD is unable to provide services to you. Please contact us before booking rather than scheduling a visit.

How it differs from a genetics clinic

Many genetics clinics work by referral. A patient is sent for a specific question, often about diagnosis or testing, and then returns to their own primary care physician for ongoing care. Genetics clinics are staffed by professionals with distinct roles:

Medical geneticists are physicians who specialize in diagnosing and managing genetic conditions. The specialty is certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics.
Genetic counselors are health professionals with specialized training who help people understand genetic risk, decide about testing and make sense of results. The National Society of Genetic Counselors describes their role.

Both play an important part in genetic care. The difference in genetics-informed primary care is continuity: the physician who helps interpret your genetic information is the same physician who continues your primary care afterward.

How it differs from regular primary care

The scope is the same as any primary care practice: prevention, acute illness and chronic conditions. What differs is how genetics is woven in:

A three-generation family history is taken as a routine part of care.
Genetic results are read in the context of your own history and your family's.
Where guidelines call for it, screening can be adjusted for hereditary risk. For example, people with Lynch syndrome may be advised to begin colonoscopy earlier and repeat it more often, and people with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant may be offered breast MRI, following national guidelines.
A small panel and extended visits allow time for that work.

None of this makes it right for everyone. It is a different way of organizing care, suited to people for whom genetics is part of the picture.

What a first visit covers

Records first. Once your visit is scheduled, you sign a release and we request your records from your prior clinicians directly. Please do not send medical records by email. Relevant prior records are reviewed before the visit.
Time. The initial visit lasts 60 to 90 minutes and covers your history, a three-generation family history and an examination.
A plan. The visit ends with an initial diagnostic and treatment plan, developed with you.
Testing only when warranted. Genetic testing is considered only when it answers a defined clinical question, and the expected cost is discussed with you before any test is ordered.
What to bring. Current medications and supplements with doses, your family health history, any prior genetic test reports, the names of your current specialists, and the questions you most want addressed. The full list is on the For Patients page.
Telehealth. Telehealth visits are available to patients located in Colorado. Whether a visit is telehealth or in person is determined when the appointment is scheduled.

Three ways to start

Patients can start with Primary Care Membership, an Initial Consultation or Genetic Counseling.

Primary Care Membership

Primary Care Membership is a continuing partnership with your physician for ongoing primary care, including direct physician access and a comprehensive reassessment each year. Its scope, structure and cost are defined after an initial consultation.

Initial Consultation

The Initial Consultation is dedicated time on a defined clinical question, addressed across family medicine and clinical genetics. It concludes with a specific diagnostic and management plan.

Genetic Counseling

Genetic counseling with Dr. Long, a physician who orders and interprets your testing. For a specific genetics question: a test to order, a result to review, or a known variant in your family. About 60 minutes, in person or by telehealth in Colorado.

Returning patients of Dr. Long

If Dr. Long has cared for you before, email or call and we will arrange your visit. See Contact.

Current fees are listed in the Services section. OriginalMD does not bill insurance, and every patient is self-pay, so you have the right to a written Good Faith Estimate of expected charges before care begins.

What genetic information can and can't do

Genetic information is useful, but it has limits:

Results can be uncertain. Variants of uncertain significance are a common result, and the classification of a variant can change as research grows. Results are reinterpreted as the evidence changes.
Testing isn't right for everyone. Whether it helps depends on the person and the question being asked.
Legal protections have limits. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) protects against discrimination in health insurance and employment. It does not cover life, disability, or long-term care insurance. Colorado law adds protection for long-term care and group disability insurance: those insurers may not use genetic test results for underwriting. Life and individual disability insurers are not barred from using results, but they may not require a genetic test without your written consent.

MedlinePlus Genetics, from the National Library of Medicine, and the National Human Genome Research Institute (genome.gov) offer plain-language background on genetic testing and family history.

Common questions

Do I need a referral or a diagnosis to become a patient? No. Neither a referral nor a prior diagnosis is required. Anyone may contact the practice directly.

Do you bill insurance? Does membership replace insurance? No. OriginalMD is a self-pay practice; it does not bill health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or any other third-party payor. Membership does not replace health insurance.

Where do I need to be for a telehealth visit? In Colorado at the time of the visit. Telehealth visits are available to patients located in Colorado. Whether a visit is telehealth or in person is determined when the appointment is scheduled.

Will I have genetic testing? Only when it answers a defined clinical question.

How to start

To request a visit, email info@originalmd.com or call (720) 575-0267. Before scheduling, we confirm a few eligibility questions by email or phone. There is no need to choose a service before you get in touch; that can be talked through when you call or write.

Referring a patient? See For Providers.

Sources

Reviewed by Patrick Long, MD, on October 26, 2026.