Genetic screening at Parkview: DNA Insights brings free, family-first testing to the community

A free path to precision health in the community

A health system rolling out free DNA testing isn’t a pilot tucked in a lab—it’s a sign that everyday care is changing. Parkview Health has launched DNA Insights, a no-cost program built with Helix, to find people at higher inherited risk for serious conditions before those conditions show up. Adults 18 and older with a Parkview MyChart account can enroll, making this one of the most accessible population genetics efforts in the region.

The pitch is simple: if a harmful genetic variant runs in a family, one person’s discovery can protect many. That’s why DNA Insights centers families from the start. When one participant learns they carry a variant linked to certain cancers or heart disease, close relatives may carry it too. Acting early—together—can change outcomes.

Parkview’s chief academic research officer, Dr. Michael Mirro, has been blunt about the shift underway: folding genetics into routine care isn’t a niche project; it’s the future of prevention. The program aims to bring precision health to more people, not just patients already in specialty clinics.

What’s included matters. The test screens for three targets with strong evidence and clear next steps if you’re positive: hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes, Lynch syndrome (the most common inherited cause of colorectal cancer), and familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic form of very high LDL cholesterol that raises heart attack risk early in life. National estimates suggest FH affects about 1 in 250 adults, while Lynch syndrome is roughly 1 in 300—numbers big enough that most primary care practices have several undetected carriers.

Results aren’t just about medical risk. Participants also receive information on regional ancestry and everyday traits, like caffeine sensitivity or sleep patterns. It’s engaging and often fun to read, but the serious value sits with the medical findings and what you choose to do with them.

How it works is straightforward. After you sign up through MyChart and consent to participate in a research program, you provide a small DNA sample—usually an at-home kit or a quick collection at a clinic. After processing, Parkview shares results with you and your clinician. If the report suggests a higher inherited risk, your care team can help confirm the finding and map out next steps.

Because DNA Insights is part of the Helix Research Network, the effort goes beyond individual care. Parkview expects to enroll 100,000 people over five years. With participants’ permission, de-identified data will help researchers study how diseases start, which treatments work best, and how to build better screening programs that reach more people, earlier. Parkview says the database is designed to be secure and privacy-protected.

One thing to keep in mind: the initial test is free. If you need follow-up care—like extra imaging, specialty visits, or medications—those services typically run through your usual insurance coverage, just like any other medical care. Your doctor can walk you through options.

And because this is a research-based program, it comes with the same guardrails you’d expect: consent documents, clear explanations of what’s being tested, and what happens with your data. If anything is unclear, ask for a plain-English walk-through. You’re not signing up for a mystery—you’re choosing a tool to help steer your health decisions.

What it means for patients, families, and the region

The family angle is the real force multiplier. When one person learns they carry a high-risk variant, relatives can get checked and start preventive steps. That ripple effect—sometimes called cascade testing—saves lives because it finds risk in healthy people who wouldn’t otherwise qualify for early screening.

Here’s how actions often change when someone tests positive:

• Hereditary breast/ovarian cancer syndromes (like BRCA1/2): Guidelines often recommend starting breast MRI and mammograms earlier and more often. Some choose preventive medications or surgery after consulting with specialists.
• Lynch syndrome: Colonoscopies usually start younger and occur more frequently—often every one to two years. Depending on the gene, there may also be screening for uterine, ovarian, or other cancers.
• Familial hypercholesterolemia: Clinicians tend to treat LDL aggressively. That may mean earlier and stronger statin therapy, sometimes combined with other medications, plus screening for younger relatives.

Notice the theme: intensify screening where it matters, and cut risk before disease takes hold. Health systems that adopt population programs like this typically see more cancers caught at earlier stages and fewer cardiac surprises in middle age, because treatment started before symptoms did.

DNA Insights is also about equity. High-quality genetic testing has been available for years, but cost and referrals kept many people out. A free program removes a big barrier. Tying results to primary care through MyChart helps ensure that when a serious risk turns up, there’s already a provider who can act on it. The catch? Digital access matters. Families without steady internet or who aren’t comfortable with online portals may need a hand getting set up. Parkview’s clinics and community partners will likely be key here—walking older adults or busy parents through sign-up and sample collection.

Privacy questions always come up with genetics, and they should. There’s a federal law, GINA—the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act—that bars health insurers and employers from using genetic information against you. It doesn’t apply to life, disability, or long-term care insurance. That’s why some people choose to update those policies before testing. This isn’t a warning; it’s informed planning. Parkview and Helix say study data are stored in secure systems and used for research only after removing direct identifiers, but it’s fair to ask how your data are protected and who can see what.

Another key point: a DNA test is not a crystal ball. A negative result doesn’t make you bulletproof. Most cancers and heart attacks aren’t caused by a single gene. Lifestyle, environment, and age still drive much of our risk. On the flip side, a positive result isn’t a diagnosis. It means your baseline risk is higher and you can do something about it now, before symptoms appear.

So who should consider joining? Anyone 18 or older in the Parkview system who wants to take a preventive step—and especially people with relatives who had breast, ovarian, uterine, colon, or early heart disease. If multiple family members had the same cancer, or if a close relative had a heart attack before 55 (men) or 65 (women), this program is built for you.

If your report shows a higher inherited risk, here’s what usually happens next:

1. Your doctor reviews the result and may order a confirmatory test if needed.
2. Expect a referral to a genetic counselor. They’ll explain the gene, your actual numbers, and your options in plain language.
3. A prevention plan follows: earlier and more frequent screening, and medication or surgery options when appropriate.
4. You’ll be encouraged to share the finding with close relatives. Clinics often provide letters that explain, in simple terms, what family members should do next.

Those conversations can feel awkward, but they’re powerful. A short call to a sibling—“I learned I carry a Lynch syndrome variant; you might want to get checked”—can be the difference between a routine colonoscopy next spring and an emergency surgery years from now.

For Parkview, reaching 100,000 people in five years is ambitious, but not out of reach. Other health systems that teamed with Helix have shown that when programs are free, easy to access, and tied to primary care, enrollment climbs. The result is a richer picture of a community’s true health risks—and the chance to build services around them. Imagine colonoscopy schedules calibrated to actual inherited risk, or lipid clinics that proactively reach relatives of FH carriers instead of waiting for a high LDL to show up in midlife.

There’s also a culture shift underway. For years, genetics lived in specialty clinics. Now it’s moving into everyday care, where the payoff is bigger: earlier detection, fewer late-stage diagnoses, more targeted prevention. DNA Insights makes that practical, not abstract. It puts an actionable report in your hands and in your doctor’s inbox, then backs it with a path to do something about it.

If you’re weighing whether to enroll, ask yourself a few simple questions. Do you want to know if you carry a risk that has proven ways to lower it? Are you comfortable sharing a result with your family so they can get checked too? Are you okay with your de-identified data supporting research aimed at better prevention? If the answers lean yes, this is worth your time.

Call it a community experiment in smarter prevention. By making genetic screening free and pairing it with clear care pathways, Parkview is betting that informed families will drive better outcomes—not just for one patient in a clinic room, but across an entire region.