Successful hepatitis C elimination through decentralized treatment in Dutch addiction care: A RE-AIM based evaluation

Background: People who use drugs (PWUD) are an important population of focus for hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination. Case-finding and treatment of these patients in outpatient specialist care is a challenge due to population specific barriers. Screening and treatment integrated in addiction care might overcome these barriers. With this study we aim to evaluate the implementation of a decentralized PWUD-HCV care model. Methods: We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study in Dutch addiction care centers to assess a decentralized HCV care pathway for PWUD. Implementation of HCV-care within addiction care was evaluated using the Reach-Effectiveness-Adoption-Implementation-Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Viral elimination, defined as the proportion of identified HCV-RNA positive PWUD achieving sustained virologic response (SVR), was the primary outcome. Results: Reach: 870 anti-HCV tests were performed, 29 HCV-RNA positive PWUD were enrolled. Effectiveness: 23 patients initiated and completed on-site treatment, three patients were referred for treatment, two patients were lost to follow-up and one patient refused treatment. All patients tested for SVR achieved SVR, one patient was lost to follow-up before SVR test. The elimination rate was 86 % (25/29). Adoption: five out of eleven addiction care organizations (45 %) implemented decentralized HCV care within addiction care. Implementation fidelity was high. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that successfully implemented decentralized HCV care within addiction services is feasible and highly effective, achieving an elimination rate of 86 %. However, adoption of decentralized HCV care was limited, underscoring the need for targeted strategies to enhance implementation. Our findings support expanding of decentralized HCV care models in addiction settings to meet HCV elimination targets.