Viruses, Vol. 13, Pages 2140: A Comprehensive Coordinator Supported Hepatitis C Virus Testing and Linkage to Treatment Program at Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States

Viruses, Vol. 13, Pages 2140: A Comprehensive Coordinator Supported Hepatitis C Virus Testing and Linkage to Treatment Program at Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States Viruses doi: 10.3390/v13112140 Authors: Mary Cabell Jonas Kevin Rubenstein Eric Watson Sundeep Basra Michael Horberg Since 2020, the US Preventive Services Taskforce has recommended expanding hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening to include ages 18−79, in addition to baby boomers (born 1945−1965) and those at-risk for hepatitis C virus. This retrospective cohort analysis compared patients (18 years and above) tested for HCV through usual care versus a coordinator-supported program (HCV pathway) during 2015−2018 within Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States (KPMAS). In total, 131,176 patients were tested through the HCV pathway and 128,311 through usual care (non-standardized testing). Of those tested, 1.6% (HCV pathway) and 0.5% (usual care) had chronic HCV. Of those with chronic HCV, more patients tested within the HCV pathway completed hepatic transient elastography (82.6% HCV pathway vs. 45.6% usual care; p < 0.001) and a gastroenterology visit (72.2% HCV pathway vs. 46.5% usual care; p < 0.001), and had filled prescriptions for treatment (56.5% HCV pathway vs. 40.3% usual care; p < 0.001). The median time to complete each step was shorter for those tested through the HCV pathway (hepatic transient elastography (26 vs. 118 days), gastroenterology visit (63 vs...
Source: Viruses - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research