The result of an educational intervention for physicians providing HIV-antibody testing and counseling

Based upon our findings related to physicians' human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody-testing practices in a multispecialty group practice, we randomly selected a group of family practice physicians and over six months provided them with patient education resources and information about HIV-antibody-testing guidelines and their own patient counseling practices. Following this intervention, a chart audit showed that documentation of patient counseling had doubled. We also noted positive, albeit minor, changes in obtaining informed consent. Physicians ordered fewer tests overall; however, we found a slight increase in testing for "inappropriate" reasons.