Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in a Rural Medicaid HMO

Autor/inn/en	Calvert Jr., James F.; Goldenberg, Paula C.; Schock, Cathy
Titel	Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in a Rural Medicaid HMO
Quelle	In: Journal of Rural Health, 21 (2005) 1, S.74-78 (5 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0890-765X
DOI	10.1111/j.1748-0361.2005.tb00065.x
Schlagwörter	Patients; Physicians; Health Facilities; Diseases; Nurses; Insurance; Health Education; Rural Areas; Oregon + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Patient; Physician; Doctor; Arzt; Gesundheitszentrum; Disease; Krankheit; Gesundheitsaufklärung; Gesundheitsbildung; Gesundheitserziehung; Rural area; Ländlicher Raum
Abstract	Chronic hepatitis C infection (CHCI) is an increasingly common problem, affecting about 2% of the US population. The cost and complexity of treatment and difficulties in communicating with the infected population are of concern to insurers and health planners. Purpose: To describe the clinical features of patients with CHCI in a rural Medicaid-covered population and to describe a method developed for treating CHCI in an underserved rural community. Methods: We developed a disease management approach to patients with CHCI receiving insurance coverage through a Medicaid HMO in rural Oregon. A locally based multidisciplinary hepatitis committee was formed to develop a management protocol and a process for selecting patients for treatment. The committee met monthly to develop the treatment plan for individual patients. Day-to-day treatment was provided by a nurse under the supervision of the committee. Findings: One hundred forty-three adults with CHCI were identified by their primary care physicians. About half the patients had a type 1 genotype. Treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin was completed on 21 persons, 11 (52%) of whom had a virologic cure. Problems with treatment toxicity were common. Patient satisfaction with the treatment by the nurse was high. Conclusions: CHCI is common in this rural, nonminority Medicaidi nsured population. A locally based disease management model was developed that was well received by patients and was successful in delivering a high quality of care for people with CHCI in a rural area. (Author).
Anmerkungen	National Rural Health Association, One West Armour Blvd, Ste 203, Kansas City, Mo. 64111.
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10