Assessment of a primary care e-support package of automated case finding, simplified treatment algorithm and decision support to increase hepatitis B treatment uptake in primary care clinics in Australia (SIMPLY-B Study): protocol for a pilot evaluation

Abstract

IntroductionDespite the availability of effective, subsidised hepatitis B treatment, linkage to care and treatment rates remain very low globally. In Australia, specially trained primary care physicians (general practitioner, GPs) can prescribe hepatitis B treatment, however, most hepatitis B care occurs in specialist clinics. Increasing hepatitis B management by GPs in primary care clinics is essential to achieve national hepatitis B linkage to care and treatment targets by 2030.This pilot study determines the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of Simply B, a novel GP hepatitis B e-support package designed to increase hepatitis B management by GPs in primary care clinics.Methods and analysisThis study will be conducted in three parts:Part A: A prospective open-label pilot intervention study, comparing the proportion of people with hepatitis B who are managed by their GP in primary care clinics before, 12 months and 24 months after implementation of the Simply B electronic hepatitis B support package.Part B: A nested qualitative health services feasibility study using semistructured interviews and thematic analysisPart C: Cost-effectiveness analysis.Ethics and disseminationThis study has received ethics approval by St Vincent’s Hospital. Data management and analysis will be centralised through the Department of Gastroenterology, St Vincent’s Hospital.Trial registration numberNCT05614466.