Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesResearch article
Care Models for the Genetic Evaluation of Dilated Cardiomyopathy at Sites of the Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) Consortium
- systematic needs assessment
- electronic needs assessment
- focus group discussions
- descriptive statistics
Authors' conclusion
DCM genetic care models and components were highly variable across the 24 sites of the DCM Consortium, although all sites discussed similar factors that enable or hinder the implementation of genetic services for DCM. Understanding the basis of practice model variability may provide insight to yield more scalable care approaches.
Study context
- Population
- Principal investigators of the DCM Consortium
- Participants
- 24 principal investigators
- Comparison
- model 1: Traditional-Synchronous vs model 2: Traditional-Asynchronous vs model 3: Externally Sourced vs model 4: Physician/Advanced Practice Provider Conducted
- model 1: Traditional-Synchronousn = 6
- model 2: Traditional-Asynchronousn = 8
- model 3: Externally Sourcedn = 4
- model 4: Physician/Advanced Practice Provider Conductedn = 6
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Care models
Further findings
| Outcome | model 1: Traditional-Synchronous | model 2: Traditional-Asynchronous | model 3: Externally Sourced | model 4: Physician/Advanced Practice Provider Conducted | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptability rating — model 1: Traditional-Synchronous vs model 4: Physician/Advanced Practice Provider Conducted · model 1 rated more acceptable | 15.7 ± 4.1 | 15.4 ± 3.0 | Not reported in the abstract | 9.8 ± 2.9 | P = 0.027 |
| Acceptability rating — model 2: Traditional-Asynchronous vs model 4: Physician/Advanced Practice Provider Conducted · model 2 rated more acceptable | P = 0.023 |
Use of genetic information for treatment decisions
- principal investigators used genetic information for treatment decisions
- 88%
- implantable cardioverter defibrillator placement
- 83%; n=20
- cardiac transplantation
- 63%; n=15
Focus group themes
- Facilitators: having a genetic counselor as part of the heart failure team and developing authoritative standards directing provision of DCM genetic services
- Barriers: operational challenges, limited personnel, clinician under-recognition, need for new service delivery models, and billing/reimbursement
Original publication
Care Models for the Genetic Evaluation of Dilated Cardiomyopathy at Sites of the DCM Consortium. Circ Heart Fail. Published 2 September 2026. doi:10.1161/circheartfailure.126.014544
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it