Hepatitis C and HIV Testing

HIV screening:

  • All patients age 13-64 should be offered HIV testing at least once in their lifetime.
  • All patients who test positive for any STD should be offered HIV screening at that time.
  • In the setting of a recent exposure (unprotected sex etc), baseline testing should be obtained with repeat testing at 6, 12, and 24 weeks
  • It should be left to the discretion of the provider to offer testing more frequently based on risk.
  • In our clinic the option that is best used at this time is to refer the patient to or counselor Victor Oliveras in Room 4C 111 for rapid testing.
  • If prompted regarding HIV testing when writing the note, select option C to refer to the counselor.
  • If the prompt does not show up and you want to send for HIV testing HIV testing, click referrals and select HIV testing (see picture)

    HIV screening referral is circled

    HIV screening referral is circled

  • If the counselor is not present in the clinic you may refer them downstairs to 1E11 to get tested
  • We are not currently drawing blood for HIV testing in the clinic in any routine basis. If there is a reason to do so, please speak with the DT about protocol for blood testing.

 

Hepatitis  C Screening:

Indications:

  • Those born in the United States between 1945-1965
  • Those with a history of illicit injection drug use or intranasal cocaine use, even if only used once
  • Those who received clotting factors made before 1987
  • Those who received blood/organs before July 1992
  • Those who have been informed that they received blood from a donor who later tested positive for HCV
  • Children born to HCV-infected mothers
  • Those with a needle stick injury or mucosal exposure to HCV-positive blood
  • Those who are a current sexual partner of an HCV-infected person
  • Those with evidence of liver disease (persistently elevated alanine aminotransferase [ALT] level)
  • Those who were ever on chronic hemodialysis
  • Those infected with HIV
  • Incarcerated individuals

 

If patient comes back HCV Ab positive, contact the patient about the result and order a “Hepatitis C Viral RNA PCR, Quant.”  Once the order is in QMed, instruct patient to return to the clinic lab for a new draw. If the HCV PCR is positive, refer to the “ACS –HCV” or the GI clinic for treatment assessment.