336616
Establishing a Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Clinic in a Public Hospital System
Description: The Ruth Rothstein CORE Center in Chicago is the nation’s first free-standing, specialized outpatient health care facility addressing the medical and social needs of people with HIV/AIDS without regard for ability to pay. The CORE Center research department began implementing PrEP studies focused on YMSM in 2009, with particular success in engaging young racial/ethnic minority youth. As participants completed studies, we wanted opportunities to link them seamlessly to PrEP when desired. Rather than searching for individual providers to serve this diverse cohort of young people, we decided to start a PrEP clinic within CORE Center, an already familiar setting.
Lessons Learned: Establishing a PrEP program within a public hospital system, at a clinic that traditionally serves HIV+ individuals, requires flexibility and patience. New procedures needed to be developed across clinics for referral and screening of PrEP candidates. A staffing plan for clinicians and health educators was created and staff were trained on PrEP. Electronic medical record templates needed to be designed and programmed. Community outreach and education plans were implemented and community-based partners trained. New research projects focused on YMSM were subsequently developed with the PrEP clinic as the backbone.
Recommendations: Institutional support, provider and patient interest, PrEP-friendly staff, and strong community partners are necessary components for developing a PrEP clinic within a public hospital system.
Learning Areas:
Program planningProvision of health care to the public
Learning Objectives:
Describe the process of establishing a PrEP specialty clinic in a public hospital system
Keyword(s): Youth, HIV Risk Behavior
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have a PhD and years of experience conducting research in the realm of HIV.I have been the principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple PrEP research studies and have worked as part of the clinical team that established the PrEP clinic being discussed in the abstract.
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.