Wise Words

"Making a difference in someone's life."

- KCHA

Mission Statement

The mission of the Kansas City Hepatitis Alliance is to be a resource that provides education, awareness and support to the Greater Kansas City Community.

History

Kansas City Hepatitis Alliance started in June of 2006 with a group of volunteer professional health care providers. One of our first goals was to start a much needed Hepatitis support group which was initiated September of 2006. It has met monthly and our attendance continues to grow.

Non profit 501 (C) (3) status was approved in July 31, 2007. We are excited about the progress that has been made in this short time and about our future goals which include community screening, involvement at health fairs, community educational seminars and additional satellite and teleconferencing support groups.

Additional (Downloadable) Information

2010 KCHA Support Group Brochure
Press Release

CEU/CME Program: Primary Care Update on Infectious Hepatitis

Topic: Education and Training

Saturday May 8, 2010 Time: 7:30-12:30

St Joseph Medical Center Community Education Center Building “D”, I 435 and State Line

Objectives:

Understand lab interpretation for Hepatitis B and C diagnosis.
Identify when referral for treatment options of Hepatitis B and C is indicated.
Identify recommended surveillance protocols for long term care of hepatitis patients.
Understand preventative management and recommended vaccination schedules for Hepatitis A and B.
Recognize when referral for liver transplantation is indicated

Schedule of Events:

7:30 – 8:00 Registration, Continental Breakfast and Vendor display

8:00- 9:00 Hepatitis B screening, lab interpretation for diagnosis of acute or chronic disease and potential treatment options (Dr Ryan Taylor, University of Kansas)

9:00-9:45 Vaccination protocols, prevention measures, Co morbidity complications and long term management of infectious hepatitis IOM update (Dr Laura Alba, St Luke’s Health System)

9:45-10:15 Break and vendor display

10:15 -11:15 Hepatitis C Overview: screening, Labs diagnosis and treatment (Dr Brad Freilich KC Gastroenterology and Hepatology)

11:15-12:00 Liver Transplant: When to refer and follow up considerations (Dr Richard Gilroy, University of Kansas)

12:00-12:30 Questions and answer session (Karen Luken NP, Gastrointestinal Associates)

Registration:

This Seminar is FREE, with seating limited to 150 people. Please call 913-754-6077 to register.

4 Nursing CEU’s are offered

Carondelet Health is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Missouri Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Carondelet Health, ANCC Commission on Accreditation and MONA do not approve or endorse any commercial products at this educational activity.

CME Statement

Carondelet Health is accredited by the Missouri State Medical Association to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians. Carondelet Health designates this activity as meeting the criteria for a maximum of 4 credit hours in Category 1 of the Physician’s Recognition Award® of the American Medical Association. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

Published Apr 06, 2010 - 09:17 PM

Clinical Trial at KU Medical Center: HDIVAA-Hepatitis C

Topic: Clinical Trials

The study is recruiting people with chronic (longstanding) hepatitis C who have failed treatment with the usual therapy (interferon and ribavirin). It is known that considerable numbers of people with cancer and chronic viral hepatitis are receiving high doses of intravenous vitamin C from physicians as a treatment. When vitamin C is given in this manner, it is known that it acts like a drug and not a vitamin. It is not proven in scientifically designed treatment studies that high doses of intravenous vitamin C are safe, although high doses of intravenous vitamin C have been given to patients for over 30 years. No formal study has been done at these high doses in patients with hepatitis C. Currently, the FDA has not approved the use of high dose intravenous vitamin C (given through a vein in your arm) as a hepatitis treatment. High dose Vitamin C creates hydrogen peroxide around the infected cells. Researchers believe it is hydrogen peroxide that kills the virus.

You will receive 30 treatments of intravenous vitamin C over a period of 20 weeks, plus one month of follow-up after treatment is completed. Your hepatitis doctor must know you are planning to participate in this study. The study staff will notify your doctor by letter with your permission. The dose of intravenous vitamin C will be started at 25 grams and may be increased up to 100 grams, until your blood level of vitamin C after the infusion reaches a predetermined level, which other studies have suggested suppresses the growth of the hepatitis C virus. Each infusion will take from 50 to 200 minutes to complete. You will receive infusions twice a week for 10 weeks and then once a week for another 10 weeks.

For updated information, please visit the KU Medical Center web site: http://integrativemed.kumc.edu/research.htm

Published Mar 15, 2010 - 03:42 PM