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Atlanta VAHCS Achieves Major Milestone in the Fight Against Hepatitis C

Group of female doctors and nurses in lab coats.
Atlanta VAHCS staff members (left to right) Stacy Sorlie (Infectious Diseases), Nadine Harris (Infectious Diseases), Nora Oliver (Infectious Diseases), Emily Cartwright (Infectious Diseases), Sarah Reed (Nursing), Vian Farino (Pharmacy), and Kathy DeSilva (Pharmacy) all played a key role in the facility achieving a major milestone in the fight against Hepatitis C.

By Gregory Kendall, Public Affairs Specialist

The Atlanta VA Health Care System is making a powerful impact in the fight against hepatitis C, with 1,804 Veterans now cured of the virus, an achievement that underscores the facility’s leadership in screening, treatment, and Veteran-centered care.

Hepatitis C often causes few or no symptoms, allowing the infection to go undetected for years. Left untreated, however, it can lead to serious and potentially fatal complications, including liver failure and liver cancer. Thanks to advances in medicine, highly effective oral treatments are now available that can cure the disease in most patients. 

“At the Atlanta VA, we are committed to finding hepatitis C early and treating it aggressively,” said Emily Cartwright, Infectious Diseases Physician at the Atlanta VAHCS. “With today’s curative therapies, hepatitis C no longer has to be a lifelong or life-threatening illness. Our success shows what’s possible when screening, access to care, and follow-up are prioritized.” 

Atlanta VAHCS’s proactive approach has led to exceptional screening rates. Currently, 80.5% of all Veterans in care in Atlanta have been screened for hepatitis C, surpassing both the VA Southeast Network (VISN 7) average of 76.3% and the national VA average of 78%. Even more significantly, 100% of Veterans with untreated hepatitis C at the Atlanta VA have been offered treatment, when medically appropriate. 

This comprehensive effort reflects a system-wide commitment to prevention, early detection, and cure. Care teams work closely with Veterans to provide education, testing, and streamlined access to treatment—often with minimal side effects and cure rates exceeding 95%. 

“Every Veteran cured represents a life changed and future complications prevented,” Cartwright said. “Eliminating hepatitis C is not just a clinical goal, it’s about improving quality of life and ensuring Veterans can live longer, healthier lives.” 

As a national leader in hepatitis C care, the Atlanta VA Health Care System continues to set the standard for how coordinated, evidence-based care can deliver life-saving results for Veterans across the country.