295. South Carolina Hepatitis C Telehealth Initiative (SCHTI): Increasing Access to HCV Care

BACKGROUND: Lack of access to specialists is often a deterrent to comprehensive health care, especially in rural areas. Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) affects 1% of the US population, and with the availability of highly efficacious treatment, it is imperative innovative steps are taken to screen and treat these patients. The South Carolina Hepatitis C Telehealth Initiative (SCHTI) is designed to provide Infectious Diseases (ID) consultation to rural providers caring for HCV-infected individuals across the Southeast. SCHTI is an interdisciplinary collaboration incorporating physicians, pharmacists, nurses and case managers from USC, MUSC, and Vanderbilt University. METHODS: SCHTI tele-consultation sessions were initiated in 2016, are held weekly, and provide a short didactic followed by discussion of patient cases with real-time feedback to the presenting providers. In addition, the program provides 1-hour continuing education certification for physicians, pharmacists and nurses. The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has approved SCHTI as an alternative to in-office expert consultation. RESULTS: From July 2016 through December 2018, 63 sessions were conducted, with 43 unique providers presenting cases and over 160 clinical attendees. Participating providers include Infectious Diseases, Family Medicine and Internal Medicine, amongst others. 259 cases have been reviewed, with a mean of 4.11 cases/session. Genotype 1a predominated and 44% of cases had advanced liver fibrosis. An increasing number of cases are young patients outside the high-prevalence birth cohort, and these individuals have a history of intravenous drug use. Overall, 13% of HCV cases were co-infected with HIV. CONCLUSION: SCHTI provides multidisciplinary HCV teleconsultation to providers across the Southeast and is improving access to specialists and high-quality health care for patients across rural areas within the Southeast. Future outcomes to be assessed include sustained virologic response rates, relapse rates and impact on hepatic and extra hepatic morbidity and mortality from CHC. [Image: see text] [Image: see text] [Image: see text] [Image: see text] DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.