VA Establishes New Hepatitis C and HIV Field Office October 26, 2001

[Guest guest]

Hello to all. My name is Rocco - my first time posting here.

I've been dealing with HEP C since 1986 (nonA-nonB) finally

diagnosed in Jan 1990. US Navy Retired 1988....So far I've

been on two different protocols(trials) via the VA; still a

non-responder. Just taking everyday one day at a time.

I would like to Thank all of you for your writings, it helps.

Thought I would pass along the following article if I may.

Rocco sends

VA Establishes New Hepatitis C and HIV Field Office October 26, 2001

(EXCERPT) WASHINGTON -- To better address the needs of nearly 100,000

veterans infected with hepatitis C or HIV, the Department of Veterans

Affairs (VA) recently established a new field office in West Haven,

Conn., that will provide front-line perspective to the national

program.

Dr. Rigsby, an infectious disease physician at the VA Medical

Center in West Haven and associate professor of medicine at Yale

University School of Medicine, will direct the new program office for

hepatitis C and HIV. A graduate of Yale medical school, Rigsby has

been a VA doctor since 1993. Last year, he worked on several new

national hepatitis C initiatives.

" VA has really set the standard for how large health care

organizations can respond to the needs of patients with HIV and

hepatitis C, " said Rigsby, who has conducted VA research in viral

infections and regularly provides clinical care to patients. " As the

largest provider of medical care to these patients in the United

States, our success will be a model for the rest of the health care

system. "

Although based in West Haven, Dr. Rigsby is part of a newly created

Public Health Strategic Health Care Group led by Dr. Lawrence Deyton

in Washington, D.C. This group also includes the Center for Quality

Management in HIV and Hepatitis located in Palo Alto, Calif.

" The fact that a large portion of our organization is field-based is a

special strength in the program, " said Deyton. " It keeps us in touch

with day-to-day needs of front-line providers and permits us to take

advantage of the diversity and breadth of experience across the

system. "

VA is the nation's largest single provider of both HIV and hepatitis C

care in the United States. Last year, more than 19,000 veterans

received care for HIV and nearly 80,000 for hepatitis C. Additionally,

VA conducts the largest voluntary HIV testing program in the country

with more than 50,000 tests performed last year. It has established

the largest hepatitis C screening and testing program in the world,

having screened or tested more than two million veterans in the past

two years.

For more information about VA's hepatitis C and HIV programs visit the

following Internet Web site:

http://www.va.gov/Hepatitis C or

http://vhaaidsinfo.cio.med.va.gov/aidsservice.

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/PressArtInternet.cfm?id=346

[Guest guest]

Hello to all. My name is Rocco - my first time posting here.

I've been dealing with HEP C since 1986 (nonA-nonB) finally

diagnosed in Jan 1990. US Navy Retired 1988....So far I've

been on two different protocols(trials) via the VA; still a

non-responder. Just taking everyday one day at a time.

I would like to Thank all of you for your writings, it helps.

Thought I would pass along the following article if I may.

Rocco sends

VA Establishes New Hepatitis C and HIV Field Office October 26, 2001

(EXCERPT) WASHINGTON -- To better address the needs of nearly 100,000

veterans infected with hepatitis C or HIV, the Department of Veterans

Affairs (VA) recently established a new field office in West Haven,

Conn., that will provide front-line perspective to the national

program.

Dr. Rigsby, an infectious disease physician at the VA Medical

Center in West Haven and associate professor of medicine at Yale

University School of Medicine, will direct the new program office for

hepatitis C and HIV. A graduate of Yale medical school, Rigsby has

been a VA doctor since 1993. Last year, he worked on several new

national hepatitis C initiatives.

" VA has really set the standard for how large health care

organizations can respond to the needs of patients with HIV and

hepatitis C, " said Rigsby, who has conducted VA research in viral

infections and regularly provides clinical care to patients. " As the

largest provider of medical care to these patients in the United

States, our success will be a model for the rest of the health care

system. "

Although based in West Haven, Dr. Rigsby is part of a newly created

Public Health Strategic Health Care Group led by Dr. Lawrence Deyton

in Washington, D.C. This group also includes the Center for Quality

Management in HIV and Hepatitis located in Palo Alto, Calif.

" The fact that a large portion of our organization is field-based is a

special strength in the program, " said Deyton. " It keeps us in touch

with day-to-day needs of front-line providers and permits us to take

advantage of the diversity and breadth of experience across the

system. "

VA is the nation's largest single provider of both HIV and hepatitis C

care in the United States. Last year, more than 19,000 veterans

received care for HIV and nearly 80,000 for hepatitis C. Additionally,

VA conducts the largest voluntary HIV testing program in the country

with more than 50,000 tests performed last year. It has established

the largest hepatitis C screening and testing program in the world,

having screened or tested more than two million veterans in the past

two years.

For more information about VA's hepatitis C and HIV programs visit the

following Internet Web site:

http://www.va.gov/Hepatitis C or

http://vhaaidsinfo.cio.med.va.gov/aidsservice.

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/PressArtInternet.cfm?id=346