Doelmatiger testbeleid van soa-poliklinieken GGD

Objective

To assess the efficiency of the testing policy change in 2012 in sexually transmitted infection (STI) outpatient clinics: persons who attend the clinic and are aged

Design

Explorative study.

Method

To test the new policy, data from STI outpatient clinics from 2011 were used for the risk group “young people under 25 years of age without other STI risks”. Other groups who visited STI outpatient clinic were selected from the data from the STI outpatient clinics from 2012. Test cost savings and missed STIs were calculated if STI outpatient clinic attendees from these risk groups first received only a chlamydia or a combination test (chlamydia and gonorrhoea). Test cost savings were divided by the number of missed STIs as a measure of efficiency.

Results

The policy change led to an annual test cost saving of €1.1 million but missed 31 gonorrhoea infections (€36,200 at the cost of one missed gonorrhoea infection). Using a combination test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in heterosexual individuals visiting the clinic aged

Conclusion

The national policy change has led to a substantial reduction in test costs. The policy measure would be even more efficient if a combination test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea were applied. Testing using a combination test in all heterosexual individuals who attend the clinic and are aged

Conflict of interest: none declared. Financial support: none declared.