The Ben Franklin Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program controls and prevents TB in Columbus and Franklin County. Services include education, screening, treatment, and prevention activities.

Who is the Ben Franklin TB Control Program for?

The TB Program serves people who live in Franklin County And are at risk for being exposed to TB or at risk for progressing to active disease should they be exposed.

Are you at risk for TB? Find out if you should be screened

Skin Testing for Employment or School
Skin testing should be conducted only among high-risk groups. But certain individuals may require tuberculin skin test (TST) for employment or school attendance. Should you require a TST and do not have any risk factors for TB disease (answered “NO” to ALL the above questions) please visit your primary healthcare provider

If you do not have a primary healthcare provider, link to these resources for testing:

• Local health care centers 
• Kroger's "Little Clinics" 
• Take Care Clinics" at Walgreenshere 

TB screenings-TB Clinic

• The TB clinic performs TB screenings for clients at risk for TB by performing a symptom review, TB skin tests , and the QuantiFERON TB-Gold Blood Test (QFT).
• The TB program primarily uses the QFT Blood Test to screen for TB exposure.
• A TB screening tells if someone has been exposed to active TB disease. If the screening test is positive, a nurse checks for risk factors and sends the client for a chest x-ray (off-site) to determine if the person has active TB disease or latent TB infection.  Please view our Clinic brochure.
• If you get a skin test, you must come back to have someone read your skin test 48 to 72 hours after your test is placed. After 72 hours (the third day), the test expires, and you may need to redo the test in order to get a result. Please take careful note of the schedule given to you when you receive your test so that you do not miss your reading time.
• If you get the QuantiFERON TB-Gold Blood Test your results will be ready in a week.
• If you are sent to the walk-in clinic for a chest x-ray by your job or doctor, you are assessed for risk factors before receiving the chest x-ray. Please bring the millimeter measurement of you skin test and referral from your doctor. If necessary, you will be given a voucher to take to one of our off-site chest x-ray partners. Remember to take your insurance information with you.

Medication appointments-TB Clinic

• If a person does have latent TB infection, they may be given medication to treat this condition.
• Medications to treat latent TB infection are given out during pre-scheduled appointments, during which a nurse also checks how you are doing.

Directly Observed Therapy (DOT)

• The Direct Observed Therapy (DOT)/Outreach Program provides medications and other direct care services to treat active TB disease patients in a place convenient for them. This is done to make sure that they complete their treatment.
• DOT staff also provides TB outreach to people at-risk for TB and works with family members and close contacts of active TB disease patients, checking them for disease/ exposure and providing them medications if needed.

Education

• Education provided about latent TB infection and active TB disease for patients, agencies, health care providers, and to the general community.
• Staff serve as a primary TB resource for Franklin County for guidance about TB surveillance, reporting requirements, infection control practices, and treatment guidelines.
• Call (614) 645-2199 for more information.

Cost

All Clinic services have a fee associated with them. The following are the most common services provided, if medically indicated.

• TB Skin Test $20
• QuantiFERON® Blood Test $100
• Nurse visit for medication refill $20
• Nurse visit for medical records of previous test/treatment NO CHARGE
• Chest X-Ray Adult: $51.52 / Pediatric: $81

We accept Cash, Check/ Money order, Medicare, Medicaid, CareSource, Molina, and United Healthcare to cover these fees.

Please bring your insurance information with you to each visit. You are responsible for any co-pays and deductibles that are required by your insurance company. A sliding fees scale is used for those without insurance.

No one is denied services if they cannot pay.  

Program Publications

• 2009 TB Risk Assessment for Franklin County, Ohio
• 2008 Ben Franklin TB Control Program Annual Report
• Trends in Tuberculosis, Franklin County Ohio 1996-2005 (PDF)

Forms and Applications

To access our services quicker, please do the following before coming to the clinic:

1. Download the TB Clinic Registration Form
2. Fill it out
3. Print it out
4. Bring it to the TB Clinic registration desk.

Also remember to bring your insurance information and personal identification cards such as a Driver's License, student ID, Passport, immigration papers, or your Social Security Card.

Request for Medical Records

• Records Release Authorization Form for Adults
• Records Release Authorization Form for Children (minors or dependant adults)

Please return signed record release forms to:
Columbus Public Health
Attention: Medical Records, Room 104
240 Parsons Avenue
Columbus, OH 43215

or fax to (614) 645-0048

• The TB skin test, also known as the Tuberculin Skin Test or Mantoux test
• QuantiFERON ® TB Gold Blood Test
• Latent TB Infection (LTBI)
• Active TB Disease
• TB Guidelines - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Tuberculosis Home Page - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
• Teaching Materials  - Tuberculosis Net