Routine screening can help find hepatitis C early

Hepatitis C screening is an important part of routine practice, improving early detection and supporting timely access to curative treatment.

The Hepatitis C Elimination Roadmap Ontario believes that all adults be screened for hepatitis C at least once in their lifetime. 

Primary care providers should consider offering testing to anyone with a risk factor or clinical indication. For individuals with ongoing risk factors, annual screening is recommended.

Ontario is leading the way with reflex hepatitis C testing

When an antibody test is positive, labs automatically runs an hepatitis C RNA test on the same sample to confirm whether the person has a current infection. This means fewer repeat blood draws, faster diagnosis and simpler, more timely linkage treatment.

How Reflex testing works

• The first time a sample tests positive for hepatitis C antibodies, Public Health Ontario (PHO) automatically performs a hepatitis C RNA (viral load) test on the same sample.
• Hepatitis C RNA testing uses a distinct PHO requisition.

When antibodies are detected

• Antibodies remain positive for life.
• There is no need to repeat antibody testing.
• Future assessments (e.g., after treatment, re-exposure, or suspected reinfection) require a hepatitis C RNA (viral load) test only.

Hepatitis C testing is completed at both private  and Public Health Ontario (PHO) laboratories.

You don't need to be a specialist

The majority of hepatitis C infections can be treated by primary care providers. 

Testing and treatment are simple and can be done in a variety of settings, including:

• Primary care
• Addictions medicine (e.g., opioid agonist treatment (OAT) services, rapid access addiction medicine (RAAM) clinics, withdrawal or detox settings, treatment programs)
• Harm reduction programs
• Pharmacy-supported settings
• Virtually
• Correctional institutions

How to make hepatitis C testing and treatment part of routine practice

Hepatitis C testing is simple to implement and can be seamlessly incorporated into your existing workflows. Our electronic medical record tools can support integration by helping you:

• Identify patients who have not yet been screened
• Set reminders for routine and annual testing
• Embed hepatitis C screening into standard preventive care

To help primary care providers get started, we've created a free, continuing medical education (CME)-accredited online course. Sign up to gain the knowledge and tools needed to integrate testing and treatment into routine practice.