Northwest Hepatitis C Resource Center

The Northwest Hepatitis C Resource Center (NW HCRC) was established in 2002 and involves a collaborative effort between the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and the Portland VA Medical Center. Based in Seattle, the NW HCRC's focus is on the development of best practice models for the care of Veterans with hepatitis C (HCV), with a special emphasis on Veteran patients who previously may have had difficulty accessing HCV treatment. The primary areas of responsibility for the NW HCRC include prevention and educational models for patients with HCV that may later be translated to VA facilities nationwide. We use a population-based disease management approach to address the continuum of care including screening, diagnosis, education, assessment and treatment for HCV. The NW HCRC is located within a rich and resourceful environment that includes the Northwest Health Services Research and Development Center of Excellence, the Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, the Seattle VA Center of Excellence in Substance Abuse Treatment and Education, the Portland VA Liver Transplant Program, the Portland VA Behavioral Health and Clinical Neurosciences Division, and the VISN 20 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center.

Michael Chang, MD, MSc, serves as the director of the NW HCRC, with Jason Dominitz, MD, MHS, and Michael Chapko, PhD, serving as associate directors. The NW HCRC is made up of an experienced and enthusiastic group of investigators, including: Lauren Beste, MD, MSc, and Jennifer Sporleder in Seattle and Bret Fuller, PhD, and Kevin Lyu, MA, in Portland.

The NW HCRC's major goals are to improve the process of care for Veterans with hepatitis C, improve their quality of life, and increase the likelihood of long-term follow-up for the complications of HCV. An additional goal is to develop and test patient and provider educational materials and programs for secondary prevention among HCV Veterans. Lastly, this HCRC aims to incorporate economic analyses throughout major health care processes and activities. This will better inform policy-makers and administrators about specific cost tradeoffs involved in competing best practice models under investigation, as well as the impact of HCV care on overall facility budgets. The NW HCRC will work collaboratively with the other funded HCRCs and the community to achieve these goals.

Contact Information:

NWHCRC
VA Puget Sound Health Care System
1660 S. Columbian Way (111-Gastro)
Seattle, WA 98108-1597
Phone: 206-764-2557
Fax: 206-764-2232

NWHCRC
Portland VA Medical Center
3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road
Portland, OR 97239
Phone: 503-220-8262 ext. 58473
Fax: 503-220-3426

Director: Michael Chang, MD, MSc
Phone: 503-220-8262 ext. 54482
Email: Michael.Chang@va.gov

Associate Director: Jason Dominitz, MD, MHS
Phone: 206-764-2285
Email: Jason.Dominitz@va.gov

Associate Director: Michael Chapko, PhD
Phone: 206-764-2821
Email: michael.chapko@va.gov