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Are You Screening Your Adult Patients for Hepatitis C?
The Illinois legislature is considering ways in which to increase the rate of Hepatitis C screenings by physicians, including legislation that mandates that primary care physicians offer screenings to those persons included in the CDC's targeted groups.
The Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) urges all primary care physicians to be familiar with the
CDC's Hepatitis C screening guidelines and to screen populations susceptible for carrying Hepatitis C including:
- All patients born between 1945 - 1965.
- Current or former injection drug users, including those who injected only once many years ago.
- Recipients of clotting factor concentrates made before 1987, when more advanced methods for manufacturing those products were developed.
- Recipients of blood transfusions or solid organ transplants before July 1992, when better testing of blood donors became available.
- Chronic hemodialysis patients.
- Persons with known exposures to HCV, such as health care workers after needle sticks involving HCV-positive blood and recipients of blood or organs from a donor who tested HCV-positive.
- Persons with HIV infection.
- Children born to HCV-positive mothers.
ISMS has assembled resources, below, to help you, your staff and your patients to learn more about the Hepatitis C virus, its risks, current screening guidelines, and treatment options.
New Hepatitis C Screening Resources
For Patients:
For Physicians:
What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C for Healthcare Professionals
Laboratory Testing for Hepatitis C
Coverage of Hepatitis C Screening and Confirmatory Testing
Payer Pharmaceutical Policies
Hepatitis C for Patients
United States Department of Veterans Affairs (Health Professionals and Patients)
Hepatitis C In the News