Genetic consultation and it importance

Genetic consultation is a specific dialogue of the medical geneticist and an individual who was referred for genetic counselling - proband. Proband comes to the genetic ambulance seeking information and the medical geneticist is the one who shall provide it. During the consultation, the geneticist will ask the proband regarding his family (family history), will ask questions regarding his current problem/diagnosis. While discussing particular genetic condition - risk of the recurrence for this diagnosis in the family shall be also mentioned. This dialogue has some specific rules - it is actually part of diagnostic-therapeutic procedure.

• The consultation can take some 30-90 minutes, both geneticist and proband have to make time for that. Geneticist shall offer another term or terms for consultation if the proband needs more time for her/his final decision.
• The consultation is non-directive. The geneticist shall only inform the proband and explain the possibilities of testing/non-testing the proband has right now. Geneticist should not judge and/or comment proband's decisions.
• Should the consultation touch the issue of genetic laboratory testing the geneticist shall explain all the benefits, risks ans limitations of this type of diagnostics to the proband first. If the probands agrees to undergo the offered test(s) - informed consent form shall be prepared and signed by both geneticist and proband.