LAUSR

Rising rates of reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the US and Europe are a public health priority and require a public health response. The diagnosis and treatment of STIs have been the cornerstone of STI control and prevention for many decades and, historically, publicly funded STI clinics have played a central role in the provision of STI care. Innovations in non‐invasive diagnostic techniques, especially nucleic acid amplification tests in the mid‐1990s, have facilitated the expansion of STI testing and treatment outside traditional STI clinics, including primary care, family planning, school‐based health, outreach, corrections, emergency departments and HIV prevention and care settings. As a result, the continued need for categorical STI clinics has been debated. In this Commentary, we discuss how practice can be improved at each level of STI care.