Facilitating Routine HIV Testing in Clinical Settings: The role of the AIDS Education & Training Centers

The AIDS Education & Training Centers (AETC) HIV Testing Recommendations Training Initiative was designed to increase the capacity of clinical settings to implement routine HIV testing. Our AETC was awarded a grant under this Initiative, to do the following: facilitate the expansion of HIV testing in clinical settings, to educate STD providers in collaboration with the PTCs, and to coordinate efforts with regional and national HIV testing activities. Due to the complexity of the technical assistance and training activities conducted in the grant period, evaluation staff developed a qualitative instrument to capture participant experiences in the process, and the role of the AETCs in supporting implementation. A total of 12 key stakeholders representing the implementation sites participated in qualitative, semi-structured interviews at two different points in the process. Findings indicated that implementation of routine testing occurs along a continuum, and that significant barriers and challenges persist in the process. For example, many sites had difficulty initiating and sustaining the process due to the insecure supply of test kits, while others faced the challenge of obtaining buy-in from stakeholders, in addition to other barriers. According to research participants, the AETC role in the process includes, but is not limited to: training at organizational levels, creating a task force, assessing organizational readiness, helping to locate funds for pilot projects, creating resource materials, and fostering network opportunities. Such findings underscore the critical role of the AETCs in supporting providers and agencies as they move along the routine testing implementation continuum.