Link-up Rx | TargetHIV

July 1, 2022

cover of guide shows two women discussing a prescription

Link-Up Rx is a data to care (D2C) program that aims to increase retention in care and viral suppression among people with HIV by using prescription refill information to decrease the length of time between refills and reduce antiretroviral therapy (ART) interruption. The Detroit Health Department implemented Link-Up Rx in partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and MedCart Specialty Pharmacy in July 2018.

Implementation Guide

Intervention Summary

About the Project

Priority Population: People with HIV not currently accessing HIV care or in need of support to continue taking their HIV medication

Setting: Health Department and Collaboration with Pharmacies

Location: Detroit, MI

Intervention Focus: Linkage, Re-engagement, Retention

Study Period: 2019-2020

Outcomes, Components

Intervention Outcomes

Link-Up Rx applies many of the same principles and strategies of traditional D2C while significantly reducing the time before the health department intervenes to reconnect a client to ART. Before implementing Link-Up Rx, it would take months before a client appeared on the "not in care" list for D2C. Link-Up Rx’s model ensures that the intervention team receives a notification two weeks after a client has not picked up their ART.

Intervention Components

Step1: Identify Pharmacies/Pharmacists
Step 2: Develop Protocol for Link-Up Rx
Step 3: Engage Community
Step 4: Implement a Three-Tier Re-Engagement Process
Step 5: Evaluate the Intervention

Challenges and Solutions

Challenge	Solution
Poverty and Other Social Factors	Implementation of practical strategies, programming, and community partnerships; a solid understanding of insurance and insurance navigation; robust referral mechanisms are necessary to support cellphones, utilities, rent, or other needs.
Insurance Gaps	To support clients with insurance issues, insurance navigator trained on RWHAP supplemental insurance options, ADAP, Medicaid, private insurance, and Medicare; partnership with a statewide insurance task force to strategize and implement solutions to insurance barriers;
Adherence	Work with clients that had medication remaining at the end of each month, including intervention team collaboration with the pharmacy to offer clients different types of packaging to help them remember to take their medication more consistently and offer to enroll clients in text message reminder programs and smartphone apps to assist with taking daily medications.

Part of Collection

Compendium of Evidence-informed Approaches to Improving Health Outcomes for People Living with HIV

Developed by

Center for Innovation and Engagement

Related resources

Best Practices

Link-Up Rx

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