Hepatitis C – The New Epidemic: Emerging Models and Promising Practices in Combatting a Silent Disease

In the United States, deaths caused by hepatitis C have now surpassed most blood-borne infectious diseases, including HIV. With community health centers caring for over 24 million patients, they are at the frontline of this epidemic, carrying the burden of screening, linking, and treating the most vulnerable populations. To make matters worse, the rise of opioid abuse in the U.S. could have catastrophic implications on the spread of the virus. This session will focus on three different topics: Health Information Technology and Moving Patients through the Hepatitis C Care Cascade, Primary Care-Public Health Partnerships, and 340B Utilization in a Community Health Center Setting. Each topic will offer exciting emerging models and practices that address the rise of hepatitis C infections within this country.

• - Determine how to utilize electronic health records to appropriately capture hepatitis C-related clinical information to address a patient’s need for treatment or re-engagement in care.
• - Assess current public health-primary care partnerships to determine how to utilize them to the fullest capacity in addressing the hepatitis C epidemic.
• - Identify different practice models that utilize members of the expanded care team (e.g., pharmacists).