Hepatitis Screening at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
Chronic Hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer, affecting about 3 million Americans. However, the majority of those infected do not know their status because they have never been tested.
To help identify those at risk, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center recently implemented an Emergency Department (ED)-based screening program for both Hepatitis B and C. Similar ED-based FOCUS screening programs have been implemented in more than 50 Emergency Departments around the country. The testing follows best-practice recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For Hepatitis C, those born between 1945-1965 (“baby boomers”) and for Hepatitis B, people from endemic areas are amongst those considered at risk.
“A part of personalized medicine is identifying which diseases a patient is at risk for. By using date of birth and country of origin, we can make sure that hepatitis screening is performed for those most at risk,” explains Su Wang, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Center for Asian Health, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, and executive board member, World Hepatitis Alliance. “For Hepatitis C, 75 percent of those infected in the US are baby boomers, and for Hepatitis B, 80 percent of the world is endemic, so identifying country of origin helps us identify those considered to be at-risk.”
A U.S. national strategy for Hepatitis elimination recently prioritized more screening efforts and linkage to care for those with Hepatitis to prevent cancer. The Center for Asian Health at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center has led many efforts to educate and provide Hepatitis B screening to the at-risk population in New Jersey. Through outreach events, educational seminars and primary care based screening, more than 1,500 individuals in the community have been tested in the past three years. A patient navigator has assisted in linking the more than 70 Hepatitis B-infected patients into care and 600 people who needed vaccine.
For more information on Hepatitis, the Center for Asian Health or Dr. Wang, call 973-261-9080 or email SBM.AsianHealth@rwjbh.org.
