As part of our continued effort to increase awareness about the updated Action Plan for the Prevention, Care, and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis (2014-2016) piece for the April 29, 2014 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. Published by the American College of Physicians, the Annals reaches over 100,000 physicians who practice general internal medicine and subspecialties such as infectious disease, gastroenterology, geriatrics, and nephrology. All of these healthcare providers are important allies and partners in reaching the national goals set forth in the Viral Hepatitis Action Plan—especially as they relate to improving diagnosis, care and treatment of viral hepatitis.

Their commentary, “Breaking the Silence on Viral Hepatitis,” will help raise awareness of viral hepatitis generally and the updated Action Plan, specifically, among this key stakeholder group, and will contribute to the Action Plan’s call to build a U.S. health care workforce prepared to prevent and diagnose viral hepatitis and provide care and treatment to infected persons. Drs. Koh and Valdiserri reflect on recent accomplishments in our national response to viral hepatitis, review important scientific and policy advances that are propelling progress, and discuss how the updated Viral Hepatitis Action Plan can serve as a framework for continued medical, public health, and community action. Acknowledging that federal action alone is not sufficient to meet the Action Plan’s goals, they invite healthcare providers and their professional societies to lend their expertise and experience to address this pressing public health problem.

View Dr. Valdiserri’s “Author Insight” videoExit Disclaimer on the Annals website.

You can also view a slightly extended version of his remarks, “An Invitation to Healthcare Providers to Break the Silence Around Viral Hepatitis,” on the HIV.gov YouTube channelExit Disclaimer.