Peggy Rutten – praktijk ondersteuner Huisartsenpraktijk Maastricht
In English
My name is Annet Sollie and I am in General Practitioner in her final year of training. I have always been fascinated by genetics and when you have an eye for it, genetics is everywhere. I notice however, that many collegues in Primary Care are much less aware of genetics.
In General Practice, almost every day I encounter patients where it is relevant to take a short family history. For instance, when someone experiences chest pain at a relatively young age or when a woman visits me with fear of breast cancer. This influences my referrals.
Also when I see children with developmental delay, learning problems or dysmorphic features I do not hesitate to explore further or ask a paediatrican or clinical geneticist to advise me.
In my opinion, it is a mindset; you have to be aware of things out of the ordinary. And of course, you have to develop the necessary skills such as taking a relevant family history.