title: Cost analysis of a novel HIV testing strategy in community pharmacies and retail clinics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document the cost of implementing point-of-care (POC) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rapid testing in busy community pharmacies and retail clinics. Providing HIV testing services in community pharmacies and retail clinics is an innovative way to expand HIV testing. The cost of implementing POC HIV rapid testing in a busy retail environment needs to be documented to provide program and policy leaders with adequate information for planning and budgeting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cost analysis from a pilot project that provided confidential POC HIV rapid testing services in community pharmacies and retail clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The pharmacy sites were operated under several different ownership structures (for-profit, nonprofit, sole proprietorship, corporation, public, and private) in urban and rural areas. We included data from the initial six sites that participated in the project. We collected the time spent by pharmacy and retail clinic staff for pretest and posttest counseling in an activity log for time-in-motion for each interaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pharmacists and retail clinic staff.
  
  
  METHODS
  HIV rapid testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  The total cost was calculated to include costs of test kits, control kits, shipping, test supplies, training, reporting, program administration, and advertising.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The six sites trained 22 staff to implement HIV testing. A total of 939 HIV rapid tests were conducted over a median time of 12 months, of which 17 were reactive. Median pretest counseling time was 2 minutes. Median posttest counseling time was 2 minutes for clients with a nonreactive test and 10 minutes for clients with a reactive test. The average cost per person tested was an estimated $47.21. When we considered only recurrent costs, the average cost per person tested was $32.17.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Providing POC HIV rapid testing services required a modest amount of staff time and costs that are comparable to other services offered in these settings. HIV testing in pharmacies and retail clinics can provide an additional alternative venue for increasing the availability and accessibility of HIV testing services in the United States.
authors.forename: Shirley Lee
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lecher
authors.forename: Ram K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.forename: Linda W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Botts
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Vasavi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Weidle
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000191:economics*; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics*; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000191:economics*; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003376:Counseling / Q000191:economics; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics