SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Optimizing Hepatitis C Virus Screening Using Automation in an Urban Emergency Department

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This poster describes an initiative to improve Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening in a busy urban emergency department by switching from an opt-out screening model to an automated workflow.<br /><br />The background notes that in April 2020, the CDC expanded HCV screening recommendations to include all adults age 18 and older at least once in a lifetime, as well as pregnant women during every pregnancy. Jersey City Medical Center had already implemented an opt-out screening model in February 2019 for eligible emergency department patients.<br /><br />The study’s objective was to compare the effectiveness of the opt-out model with an automated screening method. The automated approach, introduced in June 2020, was designed to fit more naturally into the fast-paced emergency department workflow, integrate screening into nurses’ routine tasks, increase the number of eligible patients screened, and reduce stigma associated with HCV testing.<br /><br />Results showed a large increase in screening activity after automation. Average daily HCV screening volume rose from 10.4 before automation to 69.7 after automation. Over a 30-day period, total screening volume increased from 555 to 3,699. In addition, more patients were identified as HCV antibody reactive (20 before vs. 71 after) and HCV RNA positive (8 before vs. 31 after). An unpaired t-test found the difference in daily testing volume to be statistically significant (t(29) = -24.4; p = .00001).<br /><br />The conclusion is that automated screening is an effective way to increase HCV testing and identify more patients who need linkage to care in an urban emergency department.

Asset Subtitle

Minh Tran

Meta Tag

Author List Jenna Camacho, Melisa Hart, Minh Tran, Tri Nguyen

Category Research

Concept Hepatitis C Screening

Concept Automated Screening

Concept Hepatitis C Antibody Test

Concept RNA Positive

Concept Opt-Out Screening

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health

Presenting Author Minh Tran

Track Education

Keywords

Hepatitis C virus

HCV screening

emergency department

automated workflow

opt-out screening

CDC recommendations

urban hospital

screening volume

HCV antibody reactive

linkage to care

Hepatitis C Screening

Automated Screening

Hepatitis C Antibody Test

RNA Positive

Opt-Out Screening