Online triage tool improves the efficiency of a sexual health service
Thomas Munro
A * , Bronnie Anderson-Smith B , Heng Lu A , Heather H. Worth C and Vickie Knight A
A Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Level 3, Nightingale Wing, Sydney Eye Hospital, 8 Macquarie St, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia.
B Centre of Epidemiology and Evidence, NSW Ministry of Health, 1 Reserve Rd, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia.
C School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Sexual Health 18(5) 432-435 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH21045
Submitted: 19 March 2021 Accepted: 2 July 2021 Published: 18 November 2021
© 2021 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Background: Rising demand for sexual health services requires publicly funded service providers to ensure they are seeing members of priority populations. Sydney Sexual Health Centre in New South Wales, Australia developed an innovative online triage tool called ‘Am I OK?’ to support this goal.
Methods: This paper outlines the findings of a review that examined the use of the triage tool using retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 2017 data.
Results: The tool has achieved its purpose in ensuring that non-priority populations are referred to other services, consequently saving a significant amount (approximately 6 months equivalent) of phone triage nurse time.
Conclusion: More work may need to be done to ensure that the tool is not creating a barrier for priority populations wishing to access the service.
Keywords: HIV, LGBTQI, PLHIV, public health, PWID, screening, sexual behaviours, sexual health, sexuality, STIs, triage, website.
References
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