From care to cure: Demonstrating a model of clinical patient navigation for hepatitis C care and treatment in high-need patients

Abstract

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene implemented a patient navigation program, Check Hep C, to address patient and provider barriers to hepatitis C virus (HCV) care and potentially lifesaving treatment. Services were delivered at 2 clinical care sites and 2 sites that linked patients to off-site care. Working with a multidisciplinary care team, patient navigators provided risk assessment, health education, treatment readiness and medication adherence counseling, and medication coordination. Between March 2014 and January 2015, 388 participants enrolled in Check Hep C, 129 (33%) initiated treatment, and 119 (91% of initiators) had sustained virologic response (SVR). Participants receiving on-site clinical care had higher odds of initiating treatment than those linked to off-site care. Check Hep C successfully supported high-need participants through HCV care and treatment, and SVR rates demonstrate the real-world ability of achieving high cure rates using patient navigation care models.