Good afternoon Curtis,

Thank you for your participation in the MCOH-EH discussion. I approved this message for posting, but I have a request: in the future, please indicate the subject of your message (such as "Hep B screening for employees") rather than just "New question" -- since about half of the messages posted to the maillist contain questions, and a generic subject line makes it difficult for other users to find a specific thread in the list archives.

Thanks,

Joe Fanucchi

--
Joe Fanucchi MD FACOEM
President and Medical Director
MediTrax / OHS, Inc.
o:925-820-7758
c:925-368-3367
drjoe@meditrax.com

MediTrax software: Everything you need, at a fraction of the cost!

Hello All. Please help refresh my brain regarding Hep B screening of existing and onboarding employees. According to the CDPH regs (see below), we should have proof of series. Along the way, it was interpreted that we need to perform HBsAb testing even w records. I'm requiring our students and staff to be tested for HBsAb but is that too much if they have existing records of a completed series? Based on the CDPH recommendation below what do you do? Our system policy reflects: 

Hepatitis B: Must be offered to all HCP who are at risk of occupational exposure to blood or body fluids. All HCP must have valid documentation (vaccination record or laboratory titers). Refer to CDC guidelines for series dosing and serological testing. 


CDPH Guidelines 2015: 
Hepatitis B vaccine
All HCP who are at risk for occupational blood or body
fluid exposure should have documentation of 3 doses of
hepatitis B vaccine (or a signed declination form). HCP
who have recently completed the 3-dose series, should
undergo anti-HBs (immunity) testing. Anti-HBs testing
should be performed 1-2 months after administration of
the last dose of the vaccine series.
HCP with documentation of 3 doses of hepatitis B
vaccine, but no documentation of immunity may undergo
anti-HBs testing upon hire or matriculation. Qualitative
testing is sufficient. This approach is most appropriate for
settings with HCP-trainees and HCP in occupations with
higher risk of exposure (e.g., surgeons), and when the
prevalence of HBV is increased in the patient population
served. Alternatively, employers may choose to perform
anti-HBs testing only if such HCP later report a blood or
body fluid exposure.

Curtis Chow, FNP, PA, MBA
Employee Health Coordinator
Employee Health Department

Dignity Health 
Mercy Medical Center Redding
2175 Rosaline Ave 
Redding, CA 96001
530-225-6194 (O)
530-526-5150 (M)
530-225-7281 (F)

Curtis.Chow@DignityHealth.Org