OPT-HepaC engages all relevant Tuscany Regional Health Services (SSR) in promotion and offer of HCV active test in order to increase testing coverage among population groups at higher risk or higher burden of disease, based on available epidemiological data. The intervention is aimed to obtain optimal linkage to care and fast-track treatment initiation for HCV chronic infection patients by establishing common procedures and enhancing collaboration between treatment centres and the others SSR services. A standardised data collection system will be developed to complement routinely collected health information (e.g. hospital discharge records). Longitudinal, cross-sectional and population specific analyses will be performed to assess the continuum of care for HCV patients, covering both epidemiological and management aspects.
Ultimately, OPT-HepaC will allow to identify optimal service/population-specific diagnosis and care pathways, including best-practices within the Tuscany SSR, and will generate strategic information for the design of evidence-based policies beyond 2020.