Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Figure 1
Flowchart showing care of patients with hepatitis C virus infection in primary care.
aVisit 2 with physician not included in figure because visit 2 was added midway through the program.
Additional Files
The Article in Brief
A Hepatitis C Treatment Program Based in a Safety-Net Hospital Patient-Centered Medical Home
Karen E. Lasser , and colleagues
Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a growing public health problem, causing 15,000 deaths annually in the United States. New oral treatment regimens have opened up the possibility of treatment in the primary care setting, but models for doing so are lacking.
What This Study Found Researchers in Boston describe a successful HCV treatment program embedded in an urban, safety-net hospital. The program utilizes a multidisciplinary approach with primary care and public health social workers working together to facilitate patient engagement and provide treatment. Funding support was also novel, coming from revenue from the 340b drug discount program, which allows clinicians to generate revenue when patients fill prescriptions at pharmacies in safety-net settings, as insurance reimbursements for medications exceed the cost at which safety-net clinicians purchase medications. Over the course of one year, the program received 302 referrals, approximately 23 percent of whom have received treatment.
