Improving Hepatitis C Screening in the Primary Care Outpatient Setting for Individuals Belonging to the Birth Cohort 1945-1965

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects millions of individuals in the United States. Because of the asymptomatic nature of early illness, many individuals infected with HCV are unaware of their disease status. Measures to increase HCV screening are essential to diagnose early asymptomatic disease, before the onset chronic illness. A quality improvement study was conducted to increase provider awareness of and adherence to HCV screening recommendations. This resulted in an increase in HCV screening among asymptomatic individuals born between 1945 and 1965 (birth cohort 1945-1965). Although this study focused on birth cohort testing, implementation of similar initiatives may increase screening in larger populations.