Make the test normal

Setting the Stage for Change: Normalizing HIV testing Zablocki VA Women's Health PACT (Patient Aligned Care Team includes the MD's, NP, RN, LPN, social worker, PharmD and medical secretary) undertook a pilot study to increase HIV testing among women clinic patients. The PACT team was fortunate to have design researchers who helped to identify key elements for diffusion of our results. Conclusion:The Zablocki Milwaukee VA Women's health team in collaboration with the IIT Institute of Design team sought to increase HIV testing among women veterans. Together they identified a relatively simple process change in workflow wherein the LPN obtains consent for HIV testing at the same time that standard panels for cholesterol, blood sugar are offered, thus decreasing the stigma traditionally associated with HIV testing. This process change ensures that patients are consistently offered the test, an important factor for women who may be infected with HIV but have no discernable high-risk behavior, since her risk may be related to her partner's behavior and not her own. Early detection of HIV means effective treatment as a chronic disease. Design methods were applied vigorously, not only for data collection, but also for intentional team building. The integration of design methods and medicine not only led to the creation of an impactful video solution but also to a short, simple and compelling way to disseminate findings with other VA medical providers.Since its completion, the video has been placed on the national HIV VA site. The story and video was presented to VA national champions throughout the entire country for implementation by other PACT teams.