United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-06-14 monographic deposited born digital 13 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-807T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-807T P0b002ee18038dd16 f:d01807t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-807T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-807T GAO-01-807T Disease detection or diagnosis Health care programs Infectious diseases Veterans Accountability Health care services Testimony A01175 Three years ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) characterized hepatitis C as a serious national health problem that needs early detection to reduce transmission risks, ensure timely treatment, and prevent progression of liver disease. In a 1988 information letter the Under Secretary for Health outlined the process clinicians should use when (1) screening veterans for known risk factors for exposure to hepatitis C and (2) ordering tests to detect antibodies and diagnose hepatitis C infection as part of a plan to evaluate and assess risk factors for VA patients. As part of an ongoing assessment of VA's testing and screening for hepatitis C. This testimony discusses VA's progress in screening and testing veterans for hepatitis C during fiscal years 1999 and 2000. GAO found that VA (1) missed opportunities to screen as many as three million veterans when they visited medical facilities during fiscal years 1999 and 2000, potentially leaving as many as 200,000 veterans unaware that they have hepatitis C infections, (2) of those screened, an unknown number likely remain undiagnosed because of flawed procedures, (3) although the pace of screening and testing appears to be improving, many currently undiagnosed veterans may not be identified expeditiously unless VA (a) establishes early detection of hepatitis C as a standard for care and (b) holds facility managers accountable for timely screening and testing of veterans who visit VA medical facilities. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-807T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-807T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-807T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-807T.pdf GAO-01-807T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-807T Testimony GAO-01-807T; Veterans' Health Care: Standards and Accountability Could Improve Hepatitis C Screening and Testing Performance; Disease detection or diagnosis Health care programs Infectious diseases Veterans Accountability Health care services