Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center not just managing Hepatitis C, it’s ‘eliminating it’

Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center has made a stunning medical breakthrough, achieving a 71% cure rate for Hepatitis C — more than double the national average of just 33% — and offering new hope in the fight against one of the most deadly and often overlooked diseases.

“This isn’t just treatment — this is a cure,” said Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center Director of Pharmacy Services Dr. Melissa Bumgardner in the center’s announcement. “We’re not managing a chronic illness. We’re eliminating it.”

Hepatitis C is a virus that attacks the liver. It is a leading cause of liver cancer and has long posed a major public health crisis, particularly in high-risk underserved populations.

Early detection and curative treatment are the only weapons in the fight against the virus since there is no vaccine available.

A pharmacy-led initiative at Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center delivered the extraordinary cure rate results throughout an 8- to 12-week course.

Using an integrated, patient-first model that involves medical and pharmacy professionals along with behavioral health staff and patient navigators who deliver medications — sometimes literally driving them to the doorsteps of patients — the health center has been able to treat 130 Hepatitis C patients since 2019.

Unlike traditional models that wait for patients to show up, this program actively seeks out at-risk people using advanced data tracking and community outreach.

Once identified, pharmacy staff collaborate with medical providers under a unique collaborative practice agreement, streamlining access to treatment and ensuring faster cures.

“Hep C used to be a death sentence,” said Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center Chief Executive Officer Richard Taaffe in the announcement. “Now we have a cure — and we’re delivering it to the people who need it most. That’s revolutionary.”

Hawai‘i has one of the highest liver cancer rates in the nation, and its population includes groups disproportionately affected by Hepatitis C, including Native Hawaiians, Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Injection drug use remains the No. 1 cause of new infections, underscoring the need for accessible, stigma-free, integrated care.

“For our team to cure a disease that takes 20 years off patients’ lives is one of the most rewarding things I have done,” Bumgardner said.

Beyond its immediate clinical success, the health center’s remarkable achievement has major implications for lowering health care costs, preventing cancer and reducing mortality rates. It also proves that even with limited resources, innovation and dedication can deliver world-class results.

Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center has even presented its model at national conferences with hepatitis experts, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This success story is a call to action for communities in Hawaiʻi and around the globe.

With personalized care, data-driven outreach and an unwavering commitment to health equity, Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center is charting a path toward a future free of Hepatitis C — in alignment with the statewide strategy, Hep Free 2030.

“As we celebrate this major milestone, we remain focused on one goal,” Taaffe said, “to offer renewed hope for those afflicted and reinforce our commitment to advancing medical science for the betterment of all Hawai‘i Island residents.”

Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center was created in July 2022 with the merger of East Hawai‘i’s Bay Clinic and West Hawai‘i Community Health Center.

It is the largest nonprofit community health center in Hawai‘i, and its mission is to provide quality, comprehensive and integrated health care services accessible to all — regardless of their ability to pay.

The health center has locations in several communities around the island.

Visit the Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center website for additional information.