Susan Hayes

First Advisor

Squires, Rhonda D.

Second Advisor

McNeill, Jeanette

Date Created

7-2016

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne pathogen in the United States. The “Baby Boomer” population, adults born between the years 1945 and 1965, is considered a high-risk population as 75% of adults with HCV were born within this timeframe. The U. S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) made it a Grade B recommendation in 2013 for all adults born in this birth cohort to be screened for HCV even if asymptomatic. Hepatitis C virus is associated with many negative sequela including liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death. With successful treatment regimens available that yield a 90-100% cure rate, it is prudent and recommended to screen this birth cohort. Eagle Ridge Medical located in Brighton, Colorado and its sister clinic located in Fort Lupton, Colorado do not currently have a standardized approach for HCV screening of this population. The researcher of this project has therefore implemented an approach for screening that includes an electronic health record (EHR) initiation of a screening alert (reminder) for the four physicians at these clinics. She also mailed an informative letter to this population that included information about the national recommendation and screening of this birth cohort in an attempt to increase screening rates at these organizations. This birth cohort includes adults born between the years 1945 and 1965. iv The researcher performed a chart audit of 5% of this population that included 1,906 patients in this birth cohort (N = 95) both before and after implementation of this project to compare screening rates. The researcher also performed a chart audit on patients who were seen in both of these clinics six weeks prior and six weeks after project implementation; 466 patients were seen in the six weeks prior to implementation and three of them had been screened for HCV (0.6%) and 421 patients were seen in the six weeks after the project implementation and 57 of them had been screened for HCV (13.5%). The researcher anticipated screening rates would increase after this project had been implemented--they did as they rose by 4.1% using the 5% systematic sampling method and 12.9% during the six-week study period in which one positive result was noted. Many of the individuals born within this population have many years left to live if successfully treated and ultimately deserve the opportunity to be screened for HCV and treated accordingly. The effects of this study are expected to have a positive impact for the future of this birth cohort. Identifying patients who are positive for HCV will allow them the opportunity for treatment and a high potential of HCV eradication as there is a 90-100% cure rate.

Keywords

HCV; Disease screening

Extent

88 pages

Local Identifiers

HayesCapstone201607

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

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