Background: Innovative models of hepatitis C treatment delivery are needed to increase treatment uptake.
Methods: A qualitative evaluation of the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine's Initiation of Hepatitis C Treatment in General Practice Pilot was conducted between November 2010 and June 2012. Structured interview schedules collected data on the treatment experiences of seven general practitioners (GPs) and eight of their patients.
Results: GPs were satisfied with the process of initiating hepatitis C treatment. They were generally positive about the support they had experienced under shared-care arrangements with tertiary clinics and they saw few barriers to initiating treatment. Similarly, patients appreciated the continuity of care that this treatment model affords, the convenience of accessing treatment from their GP and being treated by a GP they trusted.
Conclusion: The initiation of hepatitis C treatment through general practice is a viable model that could increase the number of people accessing hepatitis C treatment.