According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, hepatitis C is on the rise in the state and is being diagnosed earlier in younger individuals. About 7,200 new cases of hepatitis C were identified in Missouri in 2015 which is an increase of nearly 1,700 cases from 2014.
Show-Me ECHO, a new telehealth training initiative from the University of Missouri School of Medicine http://medicine.missouri.edu enables physicians in rural parts of the state to treat hepatitis C more effectively.
Through Show-Me ECHO, specialists serve as mentors and colleagues by sharing their medical knowledge and expertise with primary care providers. Participating providers present a patient case to the expert panel for discussion via video conferencing where the specialists help with information on available resources to aid in diagnosis and treatment. Show-Me ECHO offers clinics for autism, chronic pain management, dermatology, and endocrinology.