Aims
In Ireland and the EU, chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection is responsible for a considerable health and economic burden. It is increasingly being recognised that addressing this global challenge requires effective cooperation between primary and secondary care and multidisciplinary approaches to care. As part of a project to integrate primary and secondary care for patients at risk of, or infected with HCV (‘Heplink’), we developed a Multidisciplinary Educational Masterclass Series for healthcare professionals working in primary care.
Design
Setting
Participants were recruited from local general practice, NGOs and Addiction Treatment Services
Participants
34 healthcare professionals attended the Masterclass Series.
Measurements
Questionnaires
Findings
100% of participants ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ that the Masterclass helped them ‘appreciate the role of primary care’ and ‘secondary care’ in ‘the management of patients with HCV’ as well as ‘describing new approaches to assessment (Fibroscan)’ (96-100%) and ‘treatment’ (85-96%) of patients with HCV. In regards to making an integrated model of care happen in practice, 100% of participants indicated the importance of a ‘desginated nurse to liaise with hospital services’ and that ‘educational programmes’ (91-100%) and ‘computerised-decision making’ (88-92%) would be also be of value.
Conclusions
This paper highlights the potential importance of integrated approaches to healthcare in optimising hepatitis C care in the community and identifies strategies that can enhance effective implementation.
Co-Authors
Dr Geoff McCombe1, 2, Ms Bashayer Almaazmi1, Dr John S. Lambert1, 2, Ms Gordana Avramovic 2, Ms Carol Murphy2, Ms Mairead O’Connor2, Ms Nicola Perry3 , Prof Walter Cullen1, 2 1 UCD School of Medicine 2 Centre for Infectious Diseases Research, Catherine McAuley Centre, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital 3Community Response primary alcohol and hepatitis C service, Dublin
Conflicts of interest:
Funding Sources: n/a
no conflict of interest
