{"id":588,"date":"2024-02-12T14:04:38","date_gmt":"2024-02-12T04:34:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hepatitissa.asn.au\/magazine-dev\/?p=588"},"modified":"2024-07-03T11:51:37","modified_gmt":"2024-07-03T02:21:37","slug":"cash-rewards-for-hep-c-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hepatitissa.asn.au\/communitynews\/2024\/02\/cash-rewards-for-hep-c-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Cash Rewards for Hep C Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An innovative study is underway to explore whether paying someone a cash incentive would motivate them to start hepatitis C treatment, and if it does, what level of payment is right. The study will also look at whether paying GPs to prescribe hepatitis C treatment will increase treatment initiation rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people with hepatitis C can be cured in as little as eight weeks with a course of tablets. Despite this, many Australians with hepatitis C are yet to undertake the treatment and be cured. The main target of the project are people who know they have a current hepatitis C infection and have not started treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Motivate C project slide https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Q3R_eqp4j7U<\/a> \u2013 presented by Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Participants are required to re-test for hepatitis C and must receive a positive result before being referred for treatment.  All participants will be compensated $105 for taking the test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, participants may be chosen to receive a reward payment for commencing hepatitis C treatment. This randomly assigned cash reward will range from smaller amounts up to $1000. The amount of cash reward offered will be randomly varied, with the variations providing data on whether there is a motivation \u201cprice point\u201d \u2013 the level is enough to move participants to fill a prescription and start treatment. All patients who complete treatment will receive a $75 compensation on receiving a sustained virological response (SVR) at four weeks post treatment. It is unclear if there will be follow up with participants who re-tested positive in the project but did not go on to treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Motivate C project slide https:\/\/www.healthywa.wa.gov.au\/~\/media\/Corp\/Documents\/Improving-health\/STI-and-BBV-Quarterly-Forums\/22-March-2023\/Motivate-C-Project.pdf<\/a> \u2013 presented by HealthyWA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The primary healthcare prescriber may also be compensated. The GP \u201cco-incentive\u201d amount will depend on whether they are the participant\u2019s own GP or are a \u201cdefault GP\u201d who is already part of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who have a positive hepatitis C result at least six months ago, but haven\u2019t been on treatment, can sign up for the Motivate C project. Adults who believe they have hepatitis C and who haven\u2019t been tested for the last four weeks are also eligible to participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants need a mobile phone to take part in this study as the whole process is SMS-based. Those who are interested will need to self-register via their phone. They will be allocated a navigator who will guide them through the process. The process is personalised and confidential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The navigator, who is trained in clinical and consenting practices, will also act as interface between the project and the participant-nominated prescriber. Participants who don\u2019t nominate their own prescriber will be referred to one by the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Slide courtesy of Motivate C project \u2013 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Q3R_eqp4j7U<\/a> presented by Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The project hopes to recruit participants through GPs and nurse practitioners who, they say, are \u201ccritical to the success\u201d of the Motivate C project. Project organisers are urging healthcare professionals to review their patient records to identify people who have tested positive for hepatitis C but have not gone on treatment, let those patients know about Motivate C, and encourage them to sign up for the study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Primary care providers are encouraged to refer the following people to the Motivate C project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n