Returning to HIV Care

CE / CME

Returning to HIV Care: Ensuring Services Are Inclusive and Equitable

Nurses: 0.75 Nursing contact hour

Pharmacists: 0.75 contact hour (0.075 CEUs)

Physicians: maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit

Released: July 24, 2024

Expiration: July 23, 2025

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Interventions to Support Return to HIV Care Should Uphold Dignity and Equity

Any intervention we implement for HIV care should always uphold dignity and equity; it needs to do both to be a supported intervention. Both the Max Clinic and rapid start do this.

In the past, patients were not started immediately on HIV medications, and there were disparities in who was started and how quickly they were started. Furthermore, Black men and women were more likely to be started on a second-line regimen, often a protease inhibitor. When healthcare professionals were asked why, the reason given was a presumption of future nonadherence.

We need to ensure that our interventions provide the highest level of quality care, embedding this commitment in our work. Funding a community advisory board is crucial for getting essential input.

Finally, LA ART with intensive follow-up could be an excellent way to reengage those who have struggled with ART in the past.

Dazon Diallo from Sister Love shared a powerful statement at a conference in support of rapid start. She said, “See my brothers and sisters as your own. If you do, then of course, you will see patients the same day, start them on medication the same day, and love them the same day.”

This is the work we should be doing. It’s about committing to see our patients as family members and providing them with the highest level of quality care, ensuring they feel welcomed and respected within our clinical system.

How confident are you in your ability to get people consistently back into HIV care after they have fallen out of care?