The RWHAP Best Practices Compilation gathers and disseminates interventions that improve outcomes along the HIV care continuum. Explore the Compilation to find inspiration and new ideas for improving the care of people with HIV. Learn more about the Best Practices Compilation and submit your innovation today for possible inclusion.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 11
Allegheny Health Network implemented Patient-Centered Appointment Reminders over a five-month period to improve engagement in care for people with HIV. This intervention included text message reminders, a process for identifying and addressing barriers to care, home visits, and outreach to patients after missed appointments. Compared to the pre-intervention cohort, the post-intervention group showed a significant decrease in clinic no-show rates.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
People with HIV
Retention in HIV medical care
Clinical service delivery model
PA
The goals of the Emergency Department and Hospital-Based Data Exchange for Real-Time Data to Care (ED Alert) intervention are to reengage people with HIV in care and to improve viral suppression rates. This is achieved using a real-time data exchange system that connects clients presenting to the emergency department with health department linkage specialists. ED Alert increased viral load testing and viral suppression over six months following a provider visit in the post-intervention period.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
People with HIV who are not in care
Linkage to HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model; Data utilization approach
Seattle, WA
Positive Care Center implemented the Rapid Access program in 2018, providing clients with ART on the same day as HIV diagnosis. Pharmacists, embedded within Positive Care Center’s care team, help clients with their treatment plans and adherence strategies. Over 90% of clients served through Rapid Access in 2021 received ART on the same day as diagnosis, and 82% of clients were retained in care at six months.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
People with a new diagnosis of HIV; People with HIV who are not in care
Linkage to HIV medical care; Prescription of antiretroviral therapy; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Minneapolis, MN
The University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine (UNMC/NM) Specialty Care Center (SCC) is the largest provider of comprehensive HIV care—including primary and HIV-focused medical services as well as multiple support services—in Nebraska. In March 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinic integrated telehealth into its care delivery model to continue serving patients beyond the clinic structure, and developed algorithms that allowed any team member to quickly identify a patient's eligibility for a telehealth visit. The algorithms include the date of the most recent office visit, stability of HIV disease, most recent viral load and CD4 count, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) refill histories as a proxy for medication adherence. Overall, viral suppression rates remained high for all patients regardless of visit type, indicating that telehealth is a successful alternative to in-person visits for providing HIV care.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
All clients
Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model; Use of technology and mobile health
Omaha, NE
Routine Universal Screening for HIV (RUSH) provides non-medical case management services, opt-out HIV testing, and linkage to care for emergency department patients. The intervention automatically screens patients for HIV if they are aged 16 years or older, are having an IV inserted, or are having blood drawn for other reasons, unless the patient opts out. RUSH provides access to testing earlier in disease progression, bridging disparities that primarily impact people of color. It also promotes linkage to and retention in care for those with a positive HIV test result. Clients with a positive HIV test in the emergency department who had a prior diagnosis of HIV were more likely to be retained in care and to reach viral suppression.
Evidence-Informed Intervention
All clients
Linkage to HIV medical care; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Houston, TX
The Virginia Commonwealth University implemented a clinical quality improvement project to increase linkage to HIV medical care within 30 days and initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the first visit by making “Rapid Access” appointments available each week for people with newly diagnosed HIV.
Emerging Intervention
People with a new diagnosis of HIV; Youth ages 13 to 24
Linkage to HIV medical care
Clinical service delivery model
Richmond, VA
By integrating comprehensive HIV medical care with addiction services and medication protocols for substance use disorder (SUD), clients with HIV and SUD saw improvements in retention in care and viral suppression.
Emerging Intervention
People who use drugs
Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Camden, NJ
The Rutgers New Jersey Medical School created a transgender health program and integrated it into their Infectious Disease Practice. The program conducted community outreach to engage transgender men and women in care, trained all staff on gender affirming care, hired transgender staff, provided gender affirming care and hormone treatments onsite, and offered mental health support to patients.
Emerging Intervention
Transgender women
Prescription of antiretroviral therapy; Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Newark, NJ
Lehigh Valley Health Network Comprehensive Health Services implemented a trauma-informed approach to care delivery, including training staff on how trauma can affect people’s health and how microaggressions in healthcare environments can potentially trigger trauma responses. This approach positively impacted care delivery and the program’s retention in care rate.
Emerging Intervention
People with a history of trauma
Retention in HIV medical care
Clinical service delivery model
Allentown, PA
MacGregor Infectious Diseases, a hospital-based clinic affiliated with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, implemented a multidisciplinary approach to strengthen outreach to clients and improve care retention. As compared to clients in standard care, clients served with the multidisciplinary approach had higher rates of retention in care, particularly among clients who were not virally suppressed.
Emerging Intervention
People with HIV
Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Clinical service delivery model
Philadelphia, PA