Provider Perspectives on the Data-to-Suppression Initiative in Ryan White Part A Housing and Behavioral Health...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• HIV/AIDS Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A (RWPA) aims to improve HIV viral suppression.
• The New York City "Data-to-Suppression" (D2S) initiative uses client-level data and provider support to enhance viral suppression.
• Understanding provider perspectives is crucial for optimizing intervention implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualitatively examine healthcare provider perspectives on the implementation of the D2S initiative.
• To identify facilitators, barriers, and areas for improvement in the D2S program from the viewpoint of service providers.

Main Methods:

• Semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 providers (patient navigators, supervisors, administrators) across 8 RWPA-funded agencies in NYC.
• Interviews took place between August and November 2022, focusing on D2S workflow, benefits, facilitators, barriers, and improvement suggestions.

Main Results:

• Providers found the D2S initiative easy to implement and effective in identifying clients needing support.
• Key facilitators included the program's ability to pinpoint clients requiring additional assistance.
• Barriers included organizational capacity issues (staffing) and client challenges (competing needs impacting viral suppression).

Conclusions:

• Provider feedback is vital for refining the D2S initiative to strengthen engagement and achieve sustained impact on HIV viral suppression.
• Suggestions for improvement include more timely and detailed reports and targeted focus on agencies with limited data access.
• Addressing organizational constraints and client-specific needs is essential for program success.