“Meds to Beds” Program Dramatically Improves Hepatitis C Treatment Completion Rates in Postpartum Mothers
A new study from Washington university (WashU) Medicine has revealed a significant improvement in hepatitis C treatment completion rates among postpartum mothers through a simple,yet impactful,intervention: delivering antiviral medication directly to patients immediately after childbirth – a program dubbed “Meds to Beds.” Researchers found that a substantially higher percentage of patients who began treatment in the hospital completed the full 2-3 month course of antiviral drugs, compared to approximately one-third of those in an ambulatory reference group.
The study highlighted a critical challenge in treating this population: a lack of follow-up care. Over half of postpartum mothers in the external reference group missed their scheduled follow-up appointments. Treatment success was steadfast through laboratory confirmation of viral clearance or patient self-report of completing the full medication course.
“The healing of hepatitis C in these mothers has a huge ripple effect – it protects their health, their families, and their future pregnancies,” explained Dr. Kelly. Recognizing this, WashU Medicine partnered with its infectious diseases division to address the gaps in treatment adherence. The study demonstrates that providing medication immediately postpartum significantly reduces patient loss during treatment.
To further integrate care, WashU Medicine’s infectious disease and maternal-fetal medicine divisions have collaborated to implement new guidelines for hepatitis C treatment decisions during pregnancy, embedding infectious disease care within obstetric clinics.
Expanding the “Meds to Beds” Model
Drs. Marks, Kelly, and colleagues are actively training washu Medicine physicians to deploy the interdepartmental “Meds to Beds” program beyond postpartum mothers, extending its benefits to all patients with untreated hepatitis C. Since 2023, a care navigation and treatment program at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, led by Dr. Marks, has successfully incorporated the “Meds to Beds” model. This program also arranges for expedited post-treatment care within local communities, ensuring patients receive ongoing support. to date, the program has delivered medication directly to the bedside of over 200 patients, marking a significant advancement in hepatitis C care.
The researchers envision the potential for broader request of this approach. “We cannot be afraid to try a new model of care when what we are achieving is better health for the whole community,” stated Dr. Marks. They are focused on equipping their trainees to address prevalent transmitted diseases and anticipate that, upon graduation, these physicians will implement the successful “Meds to Beds” model in other healthcare settings.
The study,titled “Association between the treatment of postpartum against training against the existing device,” was published in Obstetrics and Open Gynecology on September 11,2025 (McCrary LM,et al.).
Funding & Disclosures:
This research was supported by the Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences Grant Ul1tr002345 from the National Center for Advancing Translational sciences (NCATS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Kelly receives funding from NIDA (5R21DA057493-02, 1R61DA062321-01) and Nichd (1R01HD113199-01). Drs. McCrary and Marks report funding from Gilead’s Frontlines of Communities in the United States (Focus) program, which supports screening and linkage to care for HIV, HCV, and STIs, but does not influence treatment decisions.
