MedStar Health Awarded Grant to Improve Hepatitis C Diagnosis and Treatment

Columbia, MD (December 17, 2018) Diagnosis-related events are the single largest root cause of medical professional liability claims, according to the Coverys report, Dose of Insight: Diagnostic Accuracy – Room for Improvement.  The Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation, Inc. (Foundation) put out a call to action and distributed a request for proposals for projects focused on improving diagnostic accuracy. The Foundation put aside $3 million in funding for approved projects.  Through this process, the Foundation hoped to stimulate projects that demonstrate new approaches and have the greatest potential to produce replicable processes for achieving prompt and accurate diagnosis.

The Foundation received an overwhelming response to the request for proposals and MedStar Health’s proposal, titled “Improving diagnostic accuracy for Hepatitis C with a validated teach/improve model” was one of the 11 grant recipients selected for funding. 

Chronic hepatitis C viral infection (HCV) has been dubbed the ‘silent killer’ due to its largely asymptomatic nature until progression results in noticeable, often irreversible impact on the patient’s health.  The MedStar project seeks to improve accurate and timely diagnosis of HCV and facilitation of comprehensive treatment within the primary care setting.  The work aligns with goals contained in the Maryland Department of Health Hepatitis C Strategic Plan, which includes a 4-pronged approach that encompasses prevention and education, testing, treatment and strengthening the disease surveillance system.

The project will be led by Dr. Christine Goeschel, assistant vice president for quality at MedStar Health and director, Center for Improving Diagnosis in Healthcare, MedStar Institute for Quality and Safety and Dr. Dawn Fishbein, scientific director, Viral Hepatitis Research, MedStar Health Research Institute.

A list of the 11 grant recipients and their projects can be found here.

For more information on the Foundation, visit www.coverys.com.

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About MedStar Institute for Quality and Safety
The mission of the Medstar Institute for Quality and Safety (MIQS) is to partner with patients, their families, and those that take care of them to improve patient care outcomes and reduce the global burden of preventable harm. Established by Medstar Health, the largest healthcare provider in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region, MIQS provides a global infrastructure in which leaders, front-line care givers, patients and family members jointly develop, educate, assess, and advocate for patient safety and clinical quality initiatives. For more information, visit www.medstariqs.org.  

About MedStar Health
MedStar Health is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to caring for people in Maryland and the Washington, D.C., region, while advancing the practice of medicine through education, innovation and research. MedStar’s 30,000 associates, 6,000 affiliated physicians, 10 hospitals, ambulatory care and urgent care centers, and the MedStar Health Research Institute are recognized regionally and nationally for excellence in medical care. As the medical education and clinical partner of Georgetown University, MedStar trains more than 1,100 medical residents annually. MedStar Health’s patient-first philosophy combines care, compassion and clinical excellence with an emphasis on customer service. For more information, visit MedStarHealth.org.

About the Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation, Inc.
The Coverys Community Healthcare Foundation, Inc. provides grant funding and donations to organizations and innovative programs that improve patient care and safety, promote healthy lifestyles, and support individuals and organizations providing healthcare services. The development of the Foundation exemplifies Coverys’ dedication to being an affirmative and active corporate citizen in the healthcare community and the communities in which it operates.