The Impact of an Automated HIV Screening Reminder in a General Practice Patient Management System During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2017, the French National Authority for Health (HAS) reassessed its strategy for screening for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and in 2018, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) set a target to screen 95% of people living with HIV by 2030. The HAS recommends a targeted population approach and assigns general practitioners (GPs) a key role in its implementation. There is therefore a need to facilitate HIV testing by GPs and reduce missed opportunities. A 10-month pilot study conducted in 2020 evaluated the impact of displaying a pop-up—reminding users of the targeted testing frequencies recommended by the HAS—within a prescription support software system, among a panel of 2,000 GPs. The pop-up appeared if there was a history of sexually transmitted infection and/or hepatitis C and/or tuberculosis in the past 12 months, in the absence of recorded serology or an HIV diagnosis. The impact was measured by comparing the prospective follow-up of consultations conducted during the "pilot" in 2020 with the retrospective follow-up of consultations conducted during the "pre-pilot" period in 2019. The results showed a significant increase in HIV serology orders during the pilot despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Difficulties in objectively identifying the patient profiles to target and in establishing regular HIV screening follow-ups were also revealed. This tool represents an additional means of facilitating the ordering of HIV screening by primary care physicians.

Author(s): Pintado Claire, Barriere Guillaume, Charpentier Camille, Leclercq Pascale

Publishing year: 2023

Pages: 78-85

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2023, n° 5, p. 78-85

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