Rapid HIV Testing Program Implementation: Lessons from the Emergency Department
Date
2009-9-1
Authors
Arbelaez, Christian
Block, Brian
Losina, Elena
Wright, Elizabeth A.
Reichmann, William M.
Mikulinsky, Regina
Solomon, Jessica D.
Dooley, Matthew M.
Walensky, Rochelle P.
Version
OA Version
Citation
Arbelaez, Christian, Brian Block, Elena Losina, Elizabeth A. Wright, William M. Reichmann, Regina Mikulinsky, Jessica D. Solomon, Matthew M. Dooley, Rochelle P. Walensky. "Rapid HIV testing program implementation: lessons from the emergency department" International Journal of Emergency Medicine 2(3): 187-194. (2009)
Abstract
BACKGROUND. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and the World Health Organization (WHO) both recommend HIV testing in health-care settings. However, neither organization provides prescriptive details regarding how these recommendations should be adapted into clinical practice in an emergency department. METHODS. We have implemented an HIV-testing program in the ED of a major academic medical center within the scope of the Universal Screening for HIV Infection in the Emergency Room (USHER) Trial—a randomized clinical trial evaluating the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of HIV screening in this setting. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION. Drawing on our collective experiences in establishing programs domestically and internationally, we offer a practical framework of lessons learned so that others poised to embark on such HIV testing programs may benefit from our experiences.
Description
License
Copyright Springer-Verlag London Ltd 2009