Stephen Parodi, MD, emphasizes benefits of integrated approach to hepatitis C

Nearly 2.4 million people in the United States are infected by hepatitis C, and 1 in 30 baby boomers is infected with the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In an article in Managed Healthcare Executive, infectious disease physician Stephen Parodi, MD, shared how integrated health care systems such as Kaiser Permanente and the Permanente Medical Groups can provide effective screening and early treatment of hepatitis C.

In the story, “Systems Approach Improving Outcomes in Hepatitis C,” Dr. Parodi, chairman of the board of the Council of Accountable Physician Practices (CAPP), highlighted the hepatitis C care efforts of CAPP members such as The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG), Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group (MAPMG), and Ochsner Medical Center. Dr. Parodi also serves as associate executive director of TPMG and executive vice president of External Affairs, Communications and Brand at The Permanente Federation.

MAPMG, for example, uses its electronic health records and care coordinators to ensure Kaiser Permanente members, especially baby boomers who are at risk, get screened and early treatment if needed.

“Testing is important because most people don’t experience early symptoms to know they have the virus,” the article quotes Dr. Parodi. “By treating the patient before liver cirrhosis, it stops the progress of the disease and the patient is less likely to develop liver cancer.”

Read the full article on the Managed Healthcare Executive site.