Perspectives on Precision Medicine in a Tribally Managed Primary Care Setting.

Precision medicine (PM) research and clinical application is moving forward at a rapid pace. To ensure ethical inclusion of all populations in PM, in-depth understanding of diverse communities' views of PM research and PM implementation is necessary. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore perspectives on PM in a tribally managed healthcare organization. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data from 46 interviews. Participants described gains in diagnostic efficiency, risk identification for preventable disease, and the advancement of population-specific biomedical research as key benefits of PM. Concerns expressed related to privacy risks associated with data-sharing, overpromising on PM, and managing patient expectations related to PM. Stakeholders encouraged PM implementation to be preceded by health education activities that leverage a range of communication strategies. Perspectives described in this study may aid in and should be considered prior to implementation of PM in this and other healthcare systems, especially those serving diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]