Project: Optimising PrEP delivery in Ireland: A model for an integrated digital-hybrid clinical service enhancing Value for Money in healthcare
PI: Dr Irina Kinchin
Irina said:
“This project is in partnership with the HSE Sexual Health Programme, the MPOWER Programme at HIV Ireland, the GUIDE clinic at St James’s Hospital Dublin, the GUM service at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork, and the free HSE home STI testing provider, SH24. This project will pilot ways to use a hybrid digital/in person care approach to deliver HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP reduces the risk of HIV in individuals at increased risk. The goal of this pilot is to develop and evaluate a hybrid PrEP service that increases access and capacity to PrEP in a way that is acceptable and cost efficient. Outputs from this project are expected to inform digital healthcare delivery in Ireland”.
Summary of Irina’s research
Context and gap: The introduction of new treatments can enhance health and benefit society, yet their success depends on developing effective and efficient service models. For example, Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has enhanced HIV prevention. However, in Ireland, service capacity and access pose challenges to equitable service implementation. Drawing from the experiences of Ireland’s national home Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) testing and the COVID-19, adopting a hybrid-digital approach could enhance PrEP service delivery and offer lessons applicable to other healthcare settings.
Specific aims:
- Develop a new digital-hybrid, online and in-person, model of PrEP care to improve service capacity, efficiency, and value for money.
- Explore how this model can be applied to other healthcare services in Ireland to maximise the potential benefits and inform standards for digital healthcare.
Approach: Irina's team will work with SH:24, a leader in online sexual health services, users, providers, designers, and the Department of Health, using policy analysis, routinely collected data, surveys, and interviews to:
- co-develop the digital-hybrid, online and in-person, PrEP care model;
- pilot in two locations (Dublin and Cork) and gather feedback; and,
- evaluate and refine, analysing process and outcome data, including cost, patient, staff, and organisational experiences to refine the model for broader use and transferability in other healthcare settings.
Impact: By making PrEP services more accessible and efficient, this project offers to overcome capacity and access challenges providing equitable access to PrEP and reducing HIV infections in Ireland. It sets the stage for transforming other healthcare services with hybrid-digital solutions, making the healthcare system more responsive to the needs of the modern patient. Ultimately, this project will demonstrate how integrating digital services in healthcare can lead to better patient experiences, improved health outcomes, and more efficient use of resources.