Co-creating the clinical pathway for Test it, a web-accessed sexually transmitted infections testing service

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are increasing among young adults in high-income nations.
• Accessible STI/HIV testing and treatment are crucial for reducing transmission rates.
• Web-accessed STI testing services offer improved access but may lack quality equivalence to in-person services, with limited evidence on best practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline an evidence-based approach for establishing a clinical pathway for a web-accessed STI testing service.
• To detail the development of "Test it," a statewide, publicly funded service for young adults in Victoria, Australia.
• To present the ten steps of the web-accessed clinical pathway and the iterative process used to define them.

Main Methods:

• An evidence-based approach was used to establish the clinical pathway.
• Stakeholder input, including end-users, clinical experts, and software developers, was incorporated.
• An iterative consultation and problem-solving process was employed to define the ten steps of the pathway.

Main Results:

• The manuscript outlines the ten-step evidence-based clinical pathway for the "Test it" web-accessed STI testing service.
• The development process involved iterative consultation and problem-solving among diverse stakeholders.
• This approach aims to ensure user acceptability, clinical safety, and technical feasibility for the service.

Conclusions:

• Establishing a web-accessed STI testing service requires a complex, multi-stakeholder approach.
• The outlined evidence-based clinical pathway provides a model for developing similar services.
• This initiative aims to improve access to timely STI testing for young adults in Victoria, Australia.