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Abstract Details
Strategies to increase primary care provider capacity for hepatitis C care: The California ECHO-PLUS study
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
2Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Division, Keck Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
3Department of Family Medicine, PAETC, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
4UC Davis Health, Davis, California, USA.
5Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
6Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
7Division of Gastroenterology, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
8Florida Research Institute, Lakewood Ranch, FL, USA.
Abstract
Expanding capacity to screen and treat those infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an essential element of the global elimination strategy. We evaluated the hub-and-spoke Project ECHO training versus telementoring models to educate, train and support HCV care by primary care providers in 13 targeted counties in northern California. A novel provider engagement strategy was used. Provider engagement and retention, time to readiness to treat HCV, and knowledge and confidence were the outcomes of interest. 94 participants from 60 unique clinics in the target counties participated in the ECHO-PLUS programme; 39.4% were physicians, 48.9% were advanced practice providers, and 11.7% were nurses. The median (range) participation time was 5 (1-49) hours. Confidence scores (minimum score = 13 and maximum score = 65) increased by a mean of 14.0 (SD:8.2) and 11.4 (SD:12.0) points for the hub-and-spoke and telementoring programmes, respectively (p = .53), with the largest changes in confidence seen in treating patients per guidelines, managing side effects and in serving as a consultant for HCV in their clinic. Among 24 participants with data on time to treatment, median time from beginner to experienced was 8 h (IQR:6-12) for hub-and-spoke and 2 h (IQR:1-2.4) for the telementoring programme (p = .01). A 'boots on the ground' approach to recruiting HCV champions was effective within rural communities. Both tele-ECHO hub-and-spoke and telementoring approaches to training primary care providers yielded increase in knowledge and confidence in HCV care and amplified the number of patients who were screened and treated. Telementoring accelerated the timeline of novice providers being 'ready to treat'.