Feel free to refer a patient to our website so they may book on their own, or you can book the patient yourself by clicking the Book Now tab at the top of the page.

Please use the patient's name and demographics when booking the appointment, then add the referring provider's full name, practice name, and contact email address in the notes section. We cannot communicate with you unless you provide us with your contact information.

If you have a patient who needs EMERGENT genetic counseling and testing for pending surgical decisions, pending treatment decisions, or pending end-of-life, please send us an email (courtneycook@cookgenetics.com). We will determine whether the request is truly emergent and, if so, will attempt to work the patient into our schedule ASAP.

If you would prefer we coordinate scheduling the patient, please download our Referral Form below, fill it out, and email it to us.

All genetic counseling appointments with Cook Genetics are booked and billed via our online scheduling software. A credit card is required at the time of booking in order to reserve the patient slot. You may use your practice's credit card, or the patient may enter their credit card to self-pay. Cancellation fees (without rescheduling) and no-show fees for the full cost of the appointment will apply. If a patient needs to reschedule their appointment due to an emergency or unforeseen conflict, they can email us at courtneycook@cookgenetics.com to reschedule at a more convenient time.

Our appointment costs are comparable to what insurance would reimburse for the same amount of time and service. Please see the Appointment Types page for descriptions and costs of appointments. Please see the Billing and Logistics page for insurance billing information.

Genetic testing itself is often covered by insurance, but it could be an additional cost to the patient. If there is a cost, it will be billed directly to the patient from the genetic testing lab, not by Cook Genetics. We will discuss the costs of testing and whether insurance billing is the patient's best/most cost-effective option during their appointment. If the patient chooses not to use insurance, cash pay fees for genetic testing are generally ~$250 out-of-pocket, depending on the type of testing ordered. Advise your patient to bring a copy of their insurance card, just in case.

Appointments are conducted via telehealth via our HIPAA-compliant video platform. In-person appointments are available for extenuating circumstances only and will take place in a private room in downtown Effingham. Alternatively, we can come to your local office, if scheduling allows.

Once you have booked the Hereditary Cancer appointment via our online scheduling software, please email these required documents to us at least 48 hours in advance via our HIPAA-compliant email (courtneycook@cookgenetics.com):

1. Your most recent HPI/note relevant to the patient's personal/family history of cancer.

2. If the patient has had cancer/tumors/polyps, a copy of each pathology report.

3. If the patient has had previous genetic testing, a copy of their results (***required for Post-Test visits).

4. Patient name, date of birth, email address, home address, and phone number.

5. Copy of patient's insurance card.

We will email your patient a link to CancerGene Connect. This is an online questionnaire that will help us assess the patient's risk and their family's risk of cancer. Please have your patient fill out and submit the CancerGene Connect questionnaire at least one day prior to their appointment.

Advise your patient to collect this helpful information for CancerGene Connect and bring with them to their appointment:

1. A family history list of first-, second-, and third-degree relatives. This includes family members' ages or ages at death, who has had cancer/tumors and the types, and the ages at each diagnosis. If they do not know exact ages, approximate ages (i.e. 30s, 50s, 80s) are fine.

2. If any of the patient's relatives have had genetic testing, a copy of their results. If they cannot get a copy, advise them to get as much information about the testing as possible (i.e. date tested, lab name, number of genes tested, which gene is positive/variant, mutation codes, etc.).

3. Bring a copy of their insurance card, just in case.

If you refer a patient to Cook Genetics, we will send copies of the genetic testing results, genetic counseling notes/recommendations, and pedigree to you via our HIPAA-compliant email. These documents will be sent to your practice's email address that you provide to us in the notes section during booking. If you do not provide an email address, we will mail hard copies. Documents will be sent at the completion of the patient's Results Disclosure Visit. Patients will also receive copies of these documents.

If no Referring Provider contact information is provided at the time of booking, we will not be able to automatically send you copies, and you will have to email us to request them.