Micro-elimination strategy for viral hepatitis C in western China: a hospital‑based experience

Objective: This study was aimed to explore a feasible, sustainable, and efficient in-hospital model of Hepatitis C micro-elimination strategy. Methods: The strategy divided into three steps. First, the hospital inpatient database was used to retrieve 3 categories of patients at high risk for HCV infection from the October 2017-September 2020, then collected patients’ clinical data for characteristics analysis and telephone callbacks. Secondly, disease education tours in non-specialty departments led by liver specialists were conducted based on the results of the analysis of high HCV infection rate. Finally, evaluated the impact for this micro-elimination strategy at the routinely followed up periods from October 2020-May 2022. Results: After the micro-elimination strategy conducted, the rate of HCV screening and diagnosis were significantly increased, while the lost follow-up rate were markedly decreased compared with the previous three years (all P <0.001). The results showed that patients, who were males, aged above 40, attended to gastroenterology, respiratory and critical care medicine, and neurology departments, has higher rate of HCV infection. Notably, disease education tours significantly improved the non-specialist healthcare workers’ knowledge about HCV infection, policy awareness and preventive methods (all P <0.001). In addition, 86.78% of high-risk patients demonstrated a strong willingness to accept further testing and start DAAs treatment after receiving follow-up and health education. Conclusion: The elimination strategy of conducting non-specialist departmental Hepatitis C seminars and education in hospitals and recalling Hepatitis C patients from high-risk groups via phone calls and text messages has the advantages of simplicity, cost-effectiveness and efficiency, and plays an important role in increasing Hepatitis C screening and diagnosis rates, as well as reducing the rate of loss of high-risk patients to hospital.