Lessons in Patient Assessment and Engagement

This resource provides information on key concepts for improving communication between patients, health clinicians, and staff. Adopting a model for standardized patient-centered assessment and engagement can positively impact the continuum of HIV care, particularly for hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. This model offers a way to remember key strategies that are central to effective assessment and engagement.

Interprofessional Education and Practice 

The Institute of Medicine (IoM) identifies interprofessional learning as a means to prepare all
health professionals to deliberatively work together with the common goal of building a safer
and better patient-centered and community and population focused health care system.

Injectable ART

This resource provides information on how Injectable Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) is a new option for people with HIV to receive treatment without needing to take daily oral medication.

Latinx - HIV Case Finding and Prevention Pocket Guide

This resource provides information related to interventions to decrease barriers impacting engagement of Latinx population in HIV testing, HIV-related messaging, and a Spanish and English version of sexual health history taking questions.

Non-Occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (nPEP) Pocket Guide

This resource provides information related to the definition of nPEP, key concepts for primary care providers, and a summary nPEP procedure.

Rapid Initiation of HIV Treatment Pocket Guide

This resource provides information related to the rapid initiation of HIV treatment. Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) should be initiated as soon as possible in all patients with HIV, regardless of CD4 count including immediately after diagnosis, if patient is ready. This guide also discusses tips for success and potential risks of rapid ART.

HIV and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Centers Pocket Guide

According to SAMHSA, a combination of medication, counseling and behavioral therapy is effective in treating alcohol and opioid dependency. Medication Assisted Treatment (Recovery) Centers offer medications, behavioral therapies, and access to harm and risk reduction strategies. This guide also discusses the need for MAT centers to offer HIV and hepatitis C testing, prevention, and treatment. 

Differential Diagnosis of HIV and SARS-COV-2 Pocket Guide

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, it adds yet another infection to rule out when a patient presents with a cold-like illness. Acute Retroviral Syndrome is an acute, symptomatic illness that develops in many individuals during the acute HIV infection phase. As some individuals with an acute HIV infection are asymptomatic, early HIV diagnosis relies heavily on provider suspicion and opt-out testing protocols. This resource reviews HIV testing recommendations, common COVID-19 like opportunistic infections, and provides a chart showing clinical presentation comparisons of HIV and COVID-19.

Best Practices and Tips for Clinicians Providing Care for Patients with HIV via Telehealth Pocket Guide

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) defines telehealth as the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support and promote long-distance clinical health care. This guide reviews best practices and tips for clinicians providing care for patients with HIV via telehealth. It includes a sample script for starting and ending telemedicine and other considerations for before, during, and after the visit.

Integrating Geriatric Principles in HIV Clinic Pocket Guide

HIV care providers should strive to incorporate geriatric principles and assessments into the care of older adults with HIV, thus improving health outcomes and quality of life. This pocket guide reviews the geriatric 5M principles, the clinical implications, and the importance of incorporating geriatric assessments.

Workplace Burnout Guide for Health Professionals

Burnout is defined as a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity. This guide discusses the types of burnout, the early signs of burnout in caregivers, consequences of not addressing burnout and more. It also offers ideas, methods, and interventions for burnout and related psychological disorders.

Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Persons with HIV Pocket Guide

Social Determinants of Health (SDH) are directly linked to the conditions in which individuals are born, grow, live, learn, work, and age. In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) described SDH as socioeconomic status; transportation and access to services; housing; discrimination by social grouping; and social or environmental stressors. These findings were later affirmed from the McKinsey 2019 consumer health insights survey which noted that housing, transportation, food security, and personal safety were the four most reported needs among Medicare/Medicaid recipients. For persons with HIV, SDH can negatively impact health outcomes unless interventions are developed to address these challenges. This document aims to explain the impact of SDH, recommend strategies or interventions, and discuss tools to address these barriers.

Adolescents: HIV Case Finding and Prevention Pocket Guide

This resource provides information related to HIV testing and prevention for adolescents.  Adolescents are a special population to be considered for HIV testing and prevention, as many adolescents are unaware of their risk for HIV.  Depending on age, sexual behavior and sexual orientation, some adolescents meet criteria for regular HIV testing as well as HIV biomedical prevention through PrEP or PEP, while all adolescents should be screened at least once for HIV.  This pocket guide details these clinical considerations, and provides clear scripting on sexual health history taking and psychosocial health and wellbeing to aid the clinician in discussing risks and harm reduction with their patients.

People with Substance Use Disorder: HIV Case Finding and Prevention Pocket Guide

This resource provides information related to HIV testing and risk assessment for patients who have a history of substance use.  Substance misuse and substance use disorders are associated with an increased risk of HIV transmission.  While everyone should be tested at least once in their lifetime, patients with a history of substance use should undergo HIV testing regularly and consider biomedical prevention like PrEP or PEP.  This pocket guide details these clinical considerations, as well as provides a clear drug and alcohol risk assessment script to aid the clinician in discussing risks and harm reduction with their patients.

Women: HIV Case Finding and Prevention Pocket Guide

This resource provides information related to HIV testing and prevention for women.  Women are a special population to be considered for HIV testing and prevention, as many women are unaware of their risk for HIV.  While all women should be tested at least once in their lifetime, some women also meet criteria for regular HIV testing as well as HIV biomedical prevention through PrEP or PEP.  This pocket guide details these clinical considerations, as well as provides a clear sexual health history taking script to aid the clinician in discussing risks and harm reduction with their patients. 

Routine HIV Testing Pocket Guide

The laws pertaining to HIV testing vary from state-to-state.  Federal recommendations do not preempt or supersede state laws, so it is important that health care workers are familiar with the laws of their jurisdiction.  This resource provides the basic requirements for HIV testing for Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.**

**IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE APPLICABLE LAWS MAY CHANGE AND THIS GUIDE ONLY PROVIDES BASIC INFORMATION THAT WAS APPLICABLE AT THE TIME IT WAS CREATED.

EHE Key Strategies Infographic

Ending the HIV Epidemic is a national initiative focusing efforts in 48 counties, Washington, D.C., San Juan, PR, and 7 states that have a substantial rural HIV burden, accounting for over half of the new HIV diagnoses in the U.S.  In the MidAtlantic region, this includes:

• Philadelphia County, PA
• Baltimore City, MD
• Montgomery County, MD
• Prince George's County, MD
• Washington, DC

 Click here to learn more