Promotion of intra-hospital referral of hepatitis B and C virus carriers to hepatology specialists by electronic medical record-based alert system: a case study at a university hospital

Abstract

It remains unclear whether intra-hospital collaboration regarding hepatitis B and C virus carriers identified by infection screening testing occurs appropriately in non-hepatology departments. Our hospital developed an alert system in April 2013 to promote referral of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive or anti-heptitic C virus (HCV)-positive patients to the Department of Hepatology through electronic medical records. Since the introduction of the new system, the number of intra-hospital referrals regarding hepatitis virus infections increased from 18.8±5.7 to 29.0±4.5 per month. A steady stream of referrals originated from departments in which there were more patients who tested positive for the hepatitis virus. This alert system is useful for promoting the intra-hospital referral of hepatitis virus carriers who are detected by screening tests to hepatology specialists and is thus considered to be important in the appropriate management of chronic viral hepatitis.