Using a report card to increase HIV screening in a large primary care group practice

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Infectious Disease Prevention

Background:

• Despite increased efforts, a significant portion of the US population remains untested for HIV.
• Low HIV screening rates persist, necessitating innovative interventions within healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of provider education and personalized HIV screening report cards on HIV testing uptake.
• To assess the effectiveness of these interventions in a large integrated healthcare system.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement study involving a cohort of 20 primary care physicians (PCPs).
• Intervention included brief educational sessions and personalized quarterly HIV screening performance report cards.
• HIV screening rates were compared between the intervention group and control groups (Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Northern California non-Oakland Medical Centers).

Main Results:

• The intervention group of PCPs showed an estimated 2.6% increase in HIV screening over 12 months.
• Control groups (KPOAK and KPNC) experienced increases of 1.9% and 1.8%, respectively.
• The intervention demonstrated a modest but observable rise in HIV screening rates.

Conclusions:

• Performance-related report cards, coupled with education, are associated with modest increases in HIV screening by PCPs.
• These findings support the integration of targeted interventions to enhance HIV screening protocols in primary care settings.