3134.0: Monday, October 22, 2001 - 3:00 PM

Abstract #31242

Challenges in delivering palliative care to rural, multiply-diagnosed persons with HIV/AIDS

Barbara Hanna, MD, AIDS Services Center, Inc., 608 Martin Luther King Drive, Hobson City, AL 36201, 256 832 0100, aidserv@aol.com

AIDS Services Center, Inc. is providing medical and supportive services to terminally-ill HIV/AIDS patients in rural Alabama. This presentation will discuss the experiences of implementing and delivering palliative care to the rural poor, uninsured and homeless. This demonstration program, supported by funding from HRSA/SPNS is implementing a hospice service model. The multi-disciplinary care team, which includes a physician, nurse, social worker, health aide and additions specialist, is delivering both in-home and clinic-based hospice care. A component of the program is the establishment of a community hospice residence for terminally-ill HIV-infected clients who are homelesss, thus facilitating the delivery of hospice care to this hard-to-reach and underserved population.

Learning Objectives: At the completion of this session, participants will be able to: understand innovative approaches to delivering palliative care services to hard-to-reach populations, appreciate the challenges of delivering palliative care services to individuals with HIV/AIDS, and comprehend patient-centered end-of-life care as it relates to HIV/AIDS.

Keywords: Rural Health Care Delivery System, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA