Challenges in providing comprehensive and coordinated care to HIV/AIDS patients: a Canadian perspective

This article focuses our attention on the means by which healthcare is provided to HIV-infected patients who require comprehensive and coordinated care to address the variety of changing and challenging needs presented by the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Improved clinical management of HIV infection over the past decade, with antiretroviral agents, protease inhibitors and prophylactic therapies against opportunistic infections has transformed HIV infection from an acute to a chronic illness. Many individuals with AIDS are now living longer with more chronic conditions. Concomitant with the transformation of HIV infection from an acute to a chronic illness comes the challenge to provide effective, humane and economical care to patients with chronic conditions that continue to reside in the community, within a healthcare delivery system that has evolved to treat patients with acute diseases.