Testing a Behavioral Nudge to Increase Genetic Testing Across a Health System
Tests a behavioral nudge to increase genetic testing in adults with certain conditions.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- University of Pennsylvania
- Where
- Philadelphia, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Using the EHR to Advance Genomic Medicine Across a Diverse Health System
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 1,000 people, planned
- Started
- 10 Jun 2024
- Expected to end
- 30 Jun 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional, 6 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- Behavioral nudge
- Record updated
- 14 August 2026
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults who have been diagnosed with one of the study conditions. It tests ways to prompt doctors and patients to use genetic testing.
- Age
- 18 years or older
- Sex
- All sexes can join
- Disease stage
- A diagnosis of one of the study conditions, such as ALS, Parkinson disease or Alzheimer disease
Main reasons for not taking part
- Under 18 years of age
- Not diagnosed with one of the study conditions
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 4 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- 18 years of age or older
- diagnosed with one of the study conditions
Who cannot take part
- not diagnosed with one of the study conditions
- Under 18 years of age
Where in United States
- Penn MedicinePhiladelphia, United StatesContact: Benita L Weathers, MPHTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Given the expansion of indications for genetic testing and our understanding of conditions for which the results change medical management, it is imperative to consider novel ways to deliver care beyond the traditional genetic counseling visit, which are both amenable to large-scale implementation and sustainable. The investigators propose an entirely new approach for the implementation of genomic medicine, supported by the leadership of Penn Medicine, investigating the use of non-geneticist clinician and patient nudges in the delivery of genomic medicine through a pragmatic randomized clinical trial, addressing NHGRI priorities. Our application is highly conceptually and technically innovative, building upon expertise and infrastructure already in place.
Read full original descriptionShow less
Innovative qualities of our proposal include: 1) Cutting edge EHR infrastructure already built to support genomic medicine (e.g., partnering with multiple commercial genetic testing laboratories for direct test ordering and results reporting in the EHR); 2) Automated EHR-based direct ordering or referring by specialist clinicians (i.e., use of replicable modules that enable specialist clinicians to order genetic testing through Epic Smartsets, including all needed components, such as populated gene lists, smartphrases, genetic testing, informational websites and acknowledgement e-forms for patient signature); 3) EHR algorithms for accurate patient identification (i.e., electronic phenotype algorithms to identify eligible patients, none of which currently have phenotype algorithms present in PheKB; 4) Behavioral economics-informed implementation science methods: This trial will be the first to evaluate implementation strategies informed by behavioral economics, directed at clinicians and/or patients, for increasing the use of genetic testing; further it will be the first study in this area to test two forms of defaults as a potential local adaptation to facilitate implementation (ordering vs. referring); and 5) Dissemination: In addition to standard dissemination modalities,PheKB95, GitHub and Epic Community Library, the investigators propose to disseminate via AnVIL (NHGRI's Genomic Data Science Analysis, Visualization, and Informatics Lab-Space). Our results will represent an entirely new paradigm for the provision of genomic medicine for patients in whom the results of genetic testing change medical management.
The 6 groups in the trial
- Generic BPA; no nudgeExisting treatment, for comparison
Usual care
Treatment: Behavioral nudge
- Clinician nudge, orderExisting treatment, for comparison
Clinician will receive a nudge to order genetic testing for the patient.
Treatment: Behavioral nudge
- Clinician nudge, referExisting treatment, for comparison
Clinician will receive a nudge to refer the patient for genetic testing.
Treatment: Behavioral nudge
- Patient nudgeExisting treatment, for comparison
The patient will receive a text message encouraging them to speak with their clinician about genetic testing.
Treatment: Behavioral nudge
- Clinician BPA order plus patient nudgeExisting treatment, for comparison
Clinician will receive a nudge to order genetic testing for the patient and the patient will receive a text message encouraging them to speak with their clinician about genetic testing.
Treatment: Behavioral nudge
- Clinician BPA refer plus patient nudgeExisting treatment, for comparison
Clinician will receive a nudge to refer patient for genetic testing and the patient will receive a text message encouraging them to speak with their clinician about genetic testing.
Treatment: Behavioral nudge
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Using Behavioral Economics and Implementation Science to Advance the Use of Genomic Medicine Utilizing an EHR Infrastructure Across a Diverse Health System
- Plain-language title
- Testing a Behavioral Nudge to Increase Genetic Testing Across a Health SystemGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
- Record updated
- 14 August 2026