Description
This was presented at the 19th Global Hepatitis Summit, held in Los Angeles in 2025.Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) point-of-care testing has changed HCV clinical management by streamlining access to testing and treatment. As part of the Australian Hepatitis C Point-of-Care Testing Program, service providers—e.g., physicians, nurses, peer workers—undertake a standardised training package for molecular HCV point-of-care testing, which includes becoming qualified to operate and maintain the GeneXpert device. As a result, quality managed point-of-care testing is now being scaled-up and implemented in various settings (e.g., prisons, mobile outreach, needle and syringe programs). The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate operator experiences of the training program, including how to optimise the content and delivery to facilitate greater testing uptake.
Methods: Between April and August 2023, service providers who had completed National Program operator training (consisting of prerequisite online modules for HCV natural history and available diagnostics, GeneXpert theoretical training [online and remotely], practical training, with competency assessment) were invited to participate in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Data were analysed with iterative categorisation from which major and minor themes representative of operator experiences were synthesised.
Results: 31 operators were interviewed. All Australian states and territories were represented, with more than half of participants residing in NSW (n=17). Most participants were practicing clinicians (n=18), worked in outpatient or community health clinics (n=21), and had no previous experience using a GeneXpert instrument (n=24). Overall, participants had positive views of the training and felt confident performing patient testing post-training. Most participants with clinical backgrounds stated that the training should reduce background learning on HCV and blood testing, while non-clinicians often requested more introductory information. The majority of participants suggested that the training content could be simplified and condensed, reducing the amount of jargon used and collating all learning material in one online location. Lastly, some participants requested additional opportunities to get hands-on experience during training and to connect with more experienced operators through a mentorship program.
Conclusion: Findings from this study provide insight into how future iterations of the training program can better meet operator needs and expectations, while meeting regulatory requirements for Class IV in vitro diagnostic tests with high public health risk. Lessons learned in Australia may be applicable to implementation and/or scale-up point-of-care interventions in other countries.
| Period | 18 Mar 2025 → 21 Mar 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event title | 19th Global Hepatitis Summit 2025 |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Los Angeles, United States, CaliforniaShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |