Giving the Primary
Healthcare Providers of
Baltimore City What They
Need to Provide or Access
Treatment Services for
HCV Positive Individuals
Christine N. Williams
May 11, 2007
Hepatitis C
¾ Infection of the liver caused by the
hepatitis C virus
¾ Transmitted when blood from a HCVinfected person enters the body of a noninfected individual
¾ Most common mode of transmission of
HCV is currently through needle sharing
Monitor
¾ 8-10 thousand people die in the US from
HCV related causes
¾ Nearly 100,000 people in Maryland are
currently infected
¾ 66,000 are unaware of their infection
status
Diagnose & Investigate
¾ Difficulty in recognizing clinical
presentation
¾ Lack of accessible healthcare for certain
individuals
¾ Lack of resources for HCV confirmation in
testing
¾ Insufficient staffing in local health
departments
¾ Variations between health departments
Inform & Educate
¾ Assessment was to be made regarding
primary care providers’ comfort level
regarding testing/treatment or accessing
referral services for their patients
¾ Information regarding access to hepatitis
C specific professional education
opportunities was to be provided
¾ Accessible & understandable web
resources currently under development
Mobilize
¾ Examine needs of primary care providers
to provide greater access to care
¾ Identify HCV as a priority in ensuring the
health of Maryland
¾ Improve current screening practices
¾ Develop a more systematic way to access
treatment & referral services
¾ Expand current HCV counseling &
treatment programs
Develop Policies & Plans to
Address:
¾ Limitations faced by health departments
z
z
z
Patient population characteristics
Deficit in staffing
Partial data entry
¾ Inconsistent knowledge base concerning
HCV testing & treatment services
Enforce
¾ Health departments mandated to report
HCV cases while some private healthcare
providers do not
¾ Guidelines for case investigation
disseminated by DHMH
¾ Follow testing & classification guidelines
set forth by CDC
z
Difficulties associated with classification
criteria
Link
¾ Inconsistencies & Deficits detrimental
¾ Need improved communication to the
general public concerning hepatitis C
prevention and control activities
¾ Education is essential on both the public
and professional level
Assure
¾ An improved level of comfort on the part of
primary care providers in treating HCV
positive individuals will lead to an
improvement in not only the accessibility
of services for patients in Baltimore, but
also in the quality of care received.
Evaluate
¾ Identify primary health care providers’
level of knowledge regarding hepatitis C
and its impact on the local community
¾ Identify gaps in professional knowledge
regarding hepatitis C
Research
¾ Identify gaps in professional knowledge
¾ Identify barriers primary care providers
face in providing services or referrals for
HCV positive individuals
¾ Identify barriers individuals face in
accessing testing & treatment services
Resources
¾
¾
¾
Edlin, Brian R. 2004 “Hepatitis C prevention and
treatment for substance users in the United
States: acknowledging the elephant in the living
room.” International Journal of Drug Policy. April
Vol.15 Issue.2 p.81-91.
“Hepatitis A, B, and C: Learn the Differences.”
Immunization Action Coalition.
www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4075abc.pdf.
“Hepatitis C Fact Sheet.” Maryland Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene.
http:///www.edcp.org/hepc/pdf/HepatitisC_factsh
eet_072106.pdf.
Resources (continued)
¾
¾
Glendening, Parris N., Townsend, Kathleen
Kennedy; Benjamin, Georges C. “Maryland
Hepatitis C Prevention and Control Plan
September 2002.” Maryland Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene.
http://www.edcp.org/pdf/md_hepc_plan.pdf.
“Report of the State Advisory Council on
Hepatitis C” State of Maryland. January 2006