Toward Better HIV Care: A Thought Leader Interview

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Management
• Healthcare Systems Analysis

Background:

• The Veterans Administration (VA) and Kaiser Permanente (KP) are leading integrated healthcare systems in the US providing HIV care.
• Both organizations demonstrate superior performance in implementing the HIV Care Continuum compared to the general population.
• The HIV Care Continuum encompasses testing, linkage to care, retention, antiretroviral therapy (ART), and viral suppression.

Discussion:

• Achieving viral suppression is critical for the health of individuals with HIV and for reducing virus transmission.
• This article explores the successful strategies employed by VA and KP leaders to optimize HIV care delivery.
• Insights are shared on how these systems identify and address gaps within their HIV care pathways.

Key Insights:

• Integrated healthcare systems can effectively manage the HIV Care Continuum.
• Successful HIV care models focus on comprehensive patient engagement from diagnosis through viral suppression.
• Top-performing organizations proactively seek to close care gaps and improve patient outcomes.

Outlook:

• Continued focus on integrated care models may further enhance HIV treatment efficacy nationwide.
• Sharing best practices from high-performing systems like VA and KP can inform broader public health strategies.
• Ongoing efforts to refine care pathways are essential for achieving the goals of HIV prevention and management.