Linking frontline work and state-of-the-art knowledge: a community exchange system

When challenged by complex medical and social conditions, local providers must participate in information exchanges, resource sharing, continuing education, and service coordination. A community exchange system, flexible enough to share and adapt new knowledge, and able to provide continuing multidisciplinary training and education across different practice settings, was established for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in East Harlem, New York City. The HIV/AIDS community exchange system supports linkages among disciplines within a medical center, communication among the local community-based organizations, and networks between the two settings. The system, as a model, is applicable to complex socio-medical problems such as diabetes, substance abuse, violence, tuberculosis, or geriatrics.