Frequently Asked Questions

Patients can only be seen by Medical Genetics once a referral has been sent and approved by a member of our team. A referral can be sent from any doctor, nurse practitioner, or midwife. If you do not have a primary care provider, walk-in clinic providers can make referrals. Once a referral is received, the Genetics team reviews the referral to see if you are eligible for a genetics appointment.

Our wait times vary depending on several factors and can be anywhere from 1 week to over 6 months. The provider that made your referral will receive a communication from us within 14 days of your referral. This communication tells them if your referral was accepted, any tests or information we might need before your appointment, and an approximate wait time. If you have questions regarding the status of your referral, please contact your referring provider.

Please contact the office if:

• Your contact information or address changes.
• Your family physician changes.
• You have an updated health card.
• You become pregnant.
• You are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
• It has been more than 1 year since your referral was sent and you have not been contacted to arrange an appointment.

You can contact us at 613-549-6666 x62800.

Most genetic testing is done using a blood sample which can be collected at KHSC or external laboratories such as LifeLabs. In some cases, a saliva, buccal (cheek swab), or skin sample may be used depending on the type of test needed. Your genetics care provider will tell you which type of sample is needed at your appointment.

Genetic testing is covered for Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) insured individuals. Prior approval is required for patients with other health insurance such as military members and University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). 

Genetic test results will not impact your OHIP status. For third party insurance companies, it can vary. Under Bill S-201, it is a criminal offence for anyone to require a genetic test or disclose the result of a genetic test to provide a good or service.  However, while third party insurance companies cannot ask if you have had genetic testing or what the results are, they can inquire about your health history and family history. Depending on your circumstance, this information may influence your ability to obtain additional insurance.

For certain medical concerns we may ask your healthcare provider to help order specific genetic tests before your first appointment to help us see you sooner. This means that we can see you with the results at your appointment. Testing requires a blood draw and can take several months to come back (up to 6 months). Once we have received the results, we will book you for an expedited appointment to review the results with you.

If your referral has been mainstreamed, but you prefer to speak with us before completing testing, please contact us at 613-549-6666 x62800 to discuss options.

Our family history questionnaire is designed to provide our team with the necessary personal and family history to best prepare for your appointment. Please complete the form to the best of your ability and return it to us before your appointment. Please include all of the requested information (gender, age, etc.) for all family members regardless of the status of their health. For example, if you are seeing us because of a personal or family history of cancer, please also include relatives who have not had cancer and their current age.

If you have family members that have a known genetic condition, please ask them if they are willing to share their test result with us.  

You may:

•    Email  a scanned copy to @email,
•    Fax it to 613-548-1348, or,
•    Mail to the Division of Medical Genetics (address is directly on the form)

If you prefer to fill out the form electronically, a fillable PDF version can be found here and can be sent to the email address above.

If you need to cancel your appointment, please call us at 613-549-6666 ext. 62800 to discuss options as soon as possible. If you miss your scheduled appointment without prior notice you may be discharged. If you are discharged, and your healthcare provider will  need to re-refer you and you will be placed back on our wait list. 

If you need to reschedule your appointment, please call us at 613-549-6666 ext. 62800 as soon as possible. If you do not attend your scheduled appointment, you may be discharged. If you are discharged, your healthcare provider will need to send a new referral and you will be placed back on our wait list. 

Please email us at @email as soon as possible. A member of our team will provide you with the link. If your appointment is the same day, please call us at 613-549-6666 ext. 62800.

It is not uncommon for families to be seen together when appropriate. Depending on the indication or results, we may ask if you are willing to have an appointment with a family member. It is your choice if you wish to share an appointment with your relative.

Some testing is not done in Ontario and requires approval from the Ministry of Health. For non-urgent testing, this approval process can take 8-12 weeks. Once approval is received, we can send your sample for testing. Testing takes 3-4 months from the time the sample is sent.

Most non-urgent genetic testing takes longer than other tests. Depending on the type of test(s) you have had, results may take several months, and sometimes up to a year. Timing may depend on the complexity of the test, the laboratory the test is sent to, and/or whether prior approval from your insurance is required to proceed. Generally, a non-urgent test takes about 4-6 months from the date of your blood draw or sample collection. You will be contacted by a member of the Medical Genetics team to discuss your results once they are ready.

It depends on the reason for the test, type of test, and result. You could receive your results by mail, a telephone call, or with a booked follow up appointment.  If a follow-up appointment is needed, a Genetics secretary will contact you to arrange this.  The secretary cannot give results over the phone. A booked follow up appointment does not necessarily mean you have a positive result, but that further discussion and/or testing may be required or available to you. Results will be relayed to you by a Genetics care provider.

Depending on the circumstances, you might have family members who are eligible for genetic testing. If your family members wish to be tested, they will need to be referred to their local genetics clinic. Most genetics clinics will ask for information about your results so that they know what to look for in your family member. Often during the results appointment, your genetics care provider will inquire whether you’d like to sign a Release of Information (ROI) form to share your results with any of your family members, should they be referred to a genetics clinic. Alternatively, we sometimes will provide a letter with the relevant information or a copy of the test report. 

Please call us at 613-549-6666 ext. 62800 and ask to speak with the genetic counsellor on-call (Monday-Friday 8:30 to 4:00).