Increasing hepatitis C screening in a large integrated health system: science and policy in concert.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES:To evaluate whether the updated 2013 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening recommendations, related Affordable Care Act provisions, and the impending availability of efficacious therapies were associated with increased screening in an integrated health system. STUDY DESIGN:We analyzed 665,339 records of adult patients visiting Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States clinics from 2003 to 2014. METHODS:We used Cox proportional hazards to estimate time to HCV screening and confirmation after June 1, 2013, compared with prior. RESULTS:HCV screening steadily increased over time, but it jumped 29% (P <.01) from 2013 to 2014 versus 4% (P <.01) from 2012 to 2013. The adjusted hazard ratio for HCV screening since June 2013 was 2.40 (95% CI, 2.34-2.47)

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez CV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6132051 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature