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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The Positive Peers app motivates youth and young adults with HIV to stay engaged in HIV care through self-management tools and virtual support. Although specific outcomes vary by age group, individuals who used the app were more likely to attend their medical appointments, receive labs, and reach viral suppression.
Emerging Intervention
Youth ages 13 to 24; Young adults ages 25 to 34
Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Use of technology and mobile health
Cleveland , OH
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
PositiveLinks is a mobile platform deployed by clinics or community-based organizations to connect people with HIV to a digital support community. The client-facing app helps people with a new diagnosis of HIV become engaged in care and helps people at risk of being lost to care overcome barriers related to geographic or social isolation. From the app, people can access Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)-compliant patient dashboards, secure messaging, and patient lab records. People who used PositiveLinks had increased rates of retention in care and viral suppression.
Evidence-Based Intervention
People with a new diagnosis of HIV; People living in rural areas
Retention in HIV medical care; Viral suppression
Use of technology and mobile health
VA