301692
Enhancing Access to Clinical Services during a Syphilis Outbreak: Effective Use of Mobile Clinic Services
The Mobile Clinic Team utilizes evidenced-based policies, including case-related screening, a CDC approved activity, to provide STD services for marginalized and underserved populations at risk for STDs- thus significantly reducing health disparities related to access to care.
During a recent syphilis outbreak among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Houston Texas, access to STD services and low service utilization presented a challenge as syphilis morbidity rates soared. The targeted population, MSM, demonstrated minimal interaction with traditional free-standing STD clinics.
Mobile STD clinical services provided during the outbreak allowed the Health Department to develop and maintain infrastructure for accessible STD services. Management observed the following outcomes during the Syphilis Outbreak Response period (8/26/12 thru 6/30/13) and the post outbreak period (7/30/13 to 12/31/13):
Clinic attendance: Increased 22% during outbreak; 15% increase post outbreak.
Syphilis test conducted: Increase 29% during outbreak; 11% increase post outbreak.
Positive syphilis tests identified: Increased 37% during outbreak; 135% increase post outbreak.
Clients treated for early syphilis: Increased 85% during outbreak; 40% increase post outbreak.
Mobile STD clinical services enabled health providers to address an increase in syphilis cases and to develop infrastructure that increased access to clinical care.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programsAdministration, management, leadership
Clinical medicine applied in public health
Diversity and culture
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related nursing
Learning Objectives:
Describe innovative strategies using Mobile Clinic operations to improve access to STD Clinical services.
Discuss best practices for STD clinics, program leadership and evaluation.
Explain best practices to provide STD clinical services in a mobile or field" setting".
Identify STD policies and/or clinical practices that expedite, enhance, or otherwise improve delivery of STD services.
Keyword(s): Accessibility, Public Health Infrastructure
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have 30 years of experience as a Public Health Advisor working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention STD Prevention Program. During this time, I have been assigned to state and local health departments and provided technical expertise to program and clinical staff on routine and innovative STD interventions. I am responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring/assessing STD/HIV intervention programs. I earned a B.S. in Microbiology and a MPH from Emory University.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.