Testing times: testing patient acceptance and ability to self-screen for a No-Talk Testing service

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Genitourinary Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) clinics face increasing patient demand, necessitating resource-efficient service models.
• Optimizing patient flow and service delivery is crucial for managing high caseloads in GUM departments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess patient acceptability and feasibility of a new No-Talk Testing (NTT) clinic for asymptomatic, low-risk individuals seeking routine sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening.
• To evaluate patient willingness to self-screen and compare self-assessed risk with clinician assessments within an NTT model.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based feasibility study was conducted among patients attending a GUM clinic.
• Data collected included patient acceptability ratings (scale of 1-10) and willingness to use a future NTT service.
• Comparison of self-reported STI risk assessment with clinician-based risk assessment was performed for a subset of participants.

Main Results:

• High patient acceptability for a future NTT service was reported, with an average rating of 7.8/10.
• Seventy-three percent of patients expressed willingness to use an NTT service, citing benefits like increased speed and reduced waiting times.
• Discrepancies between self-assessed and clinician-assessed STI risk were found in 37% of cases, with self-assessment often identifying risks missed by clinicians.

Conclusions:

• The No-Talk Testing (NTT) model is an acceptable and feasible approach for routine STI screening in GUM departments.
• Implementing NTT services can enhance efficiency, capacity, and patient experience by reducing waiting times.
• Patient self-screening demonstrates potential as a complementary tool for risk assessment in STI services.