Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite the 2013 United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations, Hepatitis C (HCV) screening rates among patients born between 1945-1965 has remained below 25% (MacLean, 2018). At our outpatient academic suburban primary care practice in Albany County, NY, our hepatitis C baseline prior to interventions was 31.75%. In collaboration with Project FOCUS through Gilead, our practice attempted to increase screening rates among this birth cohort. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review on patients eligible for HCV screening with birth years 1945-1965 at the time of their visit at the Albany Med Internal Medicine/Pediatrics practice. We report monthly HCV screening from January 2018 to April 2020. In addition, we determined whether HCV screening rates differed by race, gender, ethnicity, private vs public insurance, and risk stratification or RAF (standard vs. high-risk patient). RESULTS: The chance that a test conducted for eligible patients increased from 29.9% (pre-intervention) to 58.76% in 2019 (post-intervention). From June 2019- December 2019, the testing rates were consistently above the 2019 average (Figure 1). There were no significant differences in HCV screening due to gender, race, ethnicity, or type of insurance (Table 1). Figure 1. Hepatitis C Screening Rates at an Outpatient Medicine/Pediatrics Practice 2018-2020 Table 1. Demographics - Hepatitis C Screening Rates CONCLUSION: In this outpatient Med/Peds practice, hepatitis C screening rates increased dramatically after incorporation of an EMR prompt, as well as nursing-generated orders for patients due for screening. There was no statistical difference in screening based on race, ethnicity, gender, or insurance type. Of note, high-risk patients were more likely to be screened, perhaps as they receive more case management services and are more likely to be in the office, increasing the opportunities for screening. The next step would be to adapt these interventions to screening all patients age 18-79, as per the updated 2020 USPSTF guidelines. DISCLOSURES: Danielle P. Wales, MD, MPH, Gilead (Grant/Research Support) Abigale Eichelman, MA, Gilead FOCUS Foundation (Other Financial or Material Support, Employee of Albany Medical Center with Salary Support on Grant) Ashar Ata, MD, MPH, PHD, GILEAD FOCUS Foundation (Grant/Research Support) Michael Waxman, MD, MPH, Gilead FOCUS Foundation (Grant/Research Support)