Treatment of STDs
Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT) and Safety-Net Treatment improves access to care for Island County residents. This treatment can be offered without requiring partners to be tested or seen by health care providers. ICPH offers EPT and Safety Net treatment from the North Whidbey Family Resource Center. All services are confidential and free of charge.
North Whidbey Family Resource Center 1791 NE 1st Ave Oak Harbor, WA 98277 360.240.5554 |
All partners of patients who test positive for Chlamydia or Gonorrhea should be treated as if they are infected. If a physician takes responsibility to ensure partner treatment, the provider should examine and treat all of the persons the patient had sex with in the 60 days prior to the date the patient was tested. If this is not possible, patients may be given medication to give to their sex partners.
Gonorrhea EPT provides second-line therapy – patients taking only these oral medications should get a test of cure at the infected site 10 to 14 days after treatment.
EPT is intended for partners of lab-confirmed heterosexual cases. EPT isn't appropriate for partners of men who have sex with men (MSM). Site-specific testing is required for all MSM partners prior to any STD treatment, due to their high risk of having other STDs, including HIV. MSM partners not tested and treated will be contacted by the Health Department about proper site-specific testing and treatment.
Patient Information
