Staff-Facilitated Telemedicine Care Delivery for Treatment of Hepatitis C among People Who Inject Drugs

Telemedicine offers the opportunity to provide clinical services remotely, thereby bridging geographic distances for people engaged in the medical system. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the widespread adoption of telemedicine in clinical practices has persisted, highlighting its continued relevance for post-pandemic healthcare. Little is known about telemedicine use among people from socially marginalized groups.

The No One Waits (NOW) Study is a single-arm clinical trial measuring the acceptability, feasibility, and safety of an urban point-of-diagnosis hepatitis C treatment initiation model delivered in a non-clinical community setting. Participants enrolled in the NOW Study are recruited via street outreach targeting people experiencing homelessness and injecting drugs. Throughout the NOW Study, clinical care is delivered through a novel staff-facilitated telemedicine model that not only addresses geographic and transportation barriers, but also technology and medical mistrust, barriers often unique to this population.