Innovation

Building on the foundation of the Early Intervention Program (EIP), UC Health Specialty Pharmacy has expanded universal hepatitis C screening efforts—helping more than 100 patients begin curative treatment.

• Hepatitis C is often silent and may have no symptoms — but today’s treatments are shorter, easier and more effective than ever.
• UC Health is expanding universal hepatitis C screening in the Emergency Department, community health settings and primary care visits.
• Treatment can cure hepatitis C and is available through telehealth visits, with medications delivered directly to your home.

Speak with your UC Health provider during your next office visit, or call 513-475-8001 to establish primary care and begin the hepatitis C screening process.

Why Hepatitis C Screening Matters

Hepatitis C is a virus that affects the liver and is spread through blood-to-blood contact. Many people living with hepatitis C don’t know they have it. In fact, most people have no symptoms for years after being infected. Approximately 75%–85% of people with acute hepatitis C infection are asymptomatic, and roughly 40% of people with hepatitis C in the U.S. are unaware of their infection status.

That means you could feel completely healthy and still have liver damage slowly developing over time. Without treatment, hepatitis C can lead to serious health problems such as liver scarring, cirrhosis, liver cancer and the need for liver transplantation.

The good news is that hepatitis C is now highly treatable and, often, curable. Today’s hepatitis C treatment is simpler, shorter and far more effective than many people realize.

By offering universal screening, UC Health providers identify infections early and help patients get treatment through the UC Health Specialty Pharmacy before long-term damage occurs.

Meeting Patients Where They Are

A key part of UC Health’s hepatitis C care effort is collaboration between the Early Intervention Program (EIP) and UC Health Specialty Pharmacy to identify at-risk patients and connect them to care. 

Instead of waiting for symptoms or a primary care visit, screening happens during an Emergency Department visit — meeting patients where they already are.

When someone tests positive for hepatitis C, EIP team members help explain the diagnosis and schedule easy, low-barrier telehealth visits with a UC Health clinical pharmacist.

This approach removes many traditional obstacles to care and helps patients take the next step quickly.  Education is also provided about spread of the disease, so patients can minimize risk to others and encourage friends or family who may be at risk to get tested as well.

For many patients, having someone clearly explain the diagnosis and outline next steps reduces fear and uncertainty.  Screening is only the first step — guidance and support help patients move confidently into treatment.

How UC Health Helps Patients Start Hepatitis C Treatment

After a positive screening result, patients meet with a specialty pharmacist through a telehealth appointment. This visit is focused entirely on helping the patient understand their diagnosis and begin hepatitis C treatment with confidence.

During these visits, the pharmacist:

• Reviews medical history
• Answers questions about hepatitis C
• Explains treatment options
• Helps create a plan that fits the patient’s life

The pharmacy team then helps with lab work, insurance approval and medication access. Instead of asking patients to navigate paperwork and approvals alone, the pharmacy team helps coordinate each step.

Most treatments last just two to three months and cure rates are greater than 95%. For many patients, that means a short course of medication can lead to a cure and long-term protection for their liver.

Throughout treatment, patients receive ongoing support to help manage side effects, stay on track with medications and complete therapy successfully. Regular check-ins help patients feel supported from the first dose through completion of therapy.

Removing Barriers to Care

UC Health Pharmacy understands that many people face challenges when it comes to healthcare. This program was built to reduce those barriers.

• Education: Some patients were told in the past that treatment wasn’t available or were advised to “wait.” Today, medications are effective, well-tolerated and widely accessible — and most patients can be cured.
  
  
• Access: Telehealth visits and medication delivery reduce the need for transportation or time off work. Patients can often complete appointments virtually and have medication delivered directly to them.
  
  
• Stigma: UC Health teams provide compassionate, judgment-free care. Risk factors such as substance use, sharing of hygiene supplies, tattoos, piercings, or history of incarceration do not prevent someone from receiving treatment.
  

Every patient deserves respect, dignity and the opportunity to improve their health. Removing barriers makes hepatitis C treatment not only possible — but achievable for more people in our community.

Why Early Hepatitis C Treatment Makes a Difference

Because hepatitis C often has no symptoms, many people don’t realize their liver is being affected until serious damage has already occurred. By the time symptoms appear, the liver may already have significant scarring.

Early hepatitis C treatment protects your liver, lowers the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer and reduces the chance of spreading the virus to someone else.

For many, completing treatment brings tremendous relief and peace of mind, knowing they’ve taken an important step toward protecting their future.

Expanding Hepatitis C Screening Across the Greater Cincinnati

At UC Health, hepatitis C care is designed to be coordinated and easy to navigate. Screening, pharmacy support, telehealth visits and follow-up care work together as one connected plan.

The goal is simple: remove obstacles, simplify the process, and help patients move from diagnosis to cure with confidence. By increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and improving access to care, UC Health remains committed to building a healthier community, one person at a time.

Take the Next Step

Hepatitis C is often silent — but it is curable. In the greater Cincinnati area, UC Health is helping more individuals cure hepatitis C, protect their long-term health and reduce the spread of the virus in our community.

Speak with your UC Health provider during your next office visit, or call 513-475-8001 to establish primary care and begin the hepatitis C screening process.