An OB-GYN from Southeast U.S. called regarding an HIV-positive 37-year old pregnant woman in her 34th week of pregnancy. The woman had hepatitis C co-infection but underwent treatment and was considered cured prior to this pregnancy. The patient is also currently enrolled in a methadone maintenance treatment program. She had been started on ARVs before the pregnancy, but has not filled her prescriptions for three months. Her HIV viral load, which was previously undetectable, is now 7000 copies/µL and CD4 count is 363 cells/µL. The physician requested help in considering an ARV change, as well as developing a plan for delivery and postpartum care of the mother and her newborn. [Read more…] about Perinatal HIV Consultation Hotline
Clinician Consultation Center Substance Use Warmline
A physician called after his first visit with a 48-year old HIV-positive female patient who expressed a desire to stop drinking alcohol. The patient has not consistently been engaged in medical care over the last year, and was hoping to establish care with a new HIV primary care provider. The patient reports drinking a half bottle of vodka daily over the last year since the death of her husband. She reports having tried to stop on her own, but experiences morning tremors and nausea which go away after her first drink. [Read more…] about Clinician Consultation Center Substance Use Warmline
Clinician Consultation Center Substance Use Warmline
The Substance Use Warmline (SUW) received a call from a physician in a public clinic regarding a 54-year old HIV/HCV coinfected man. The caller had concerns about the patient’s adherence to HIV medications although the patient is currently prescribed a single-pill, once-daily antiretroviral regimen. He has a history of heroin and methamphetamine use and a psychiatric/social history complicated by PTSD and bipolar disorder, for which he takes psychotropic medications and receives intensive case management. [Read more…] about Clinician Consultation Center Substance Use Warmline
New England AETC Massachusetts Regional Partner: Community Research Initiative (CRI), Charlestown, MA
The Clinical Director/PT Lead regularly attended Active Retention in Care for Health (ARCH) team meetings to provide clinical consultation and technical assistance. BNHC
continued to be successful linking 100% of newly diagnosed clients to care within 30 days. The number of clients who did not have a medical visit in the last 6 months decreased from 29% in 2016 to 11% in 2017 in large part due to the work of the ARCH team and the support of the NEAETC PTP team.
Clinician Consultation Center Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PEPline) and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PrEPline)
A family nurse practitioner in a multispecialty clinic in the Midwest called the PEPline regarding her 28-year old female patient who had condomless vaginal intercourse the night before with a non-mutually monogamous man of unknown HIV status. The partner has repeatedly declined HIV testing, and the patient’s last negative HIV test was more than a year ago. The patient takes fluoxetine for depression, and has no other medical conditions. The caller asked whether post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is warranted. [Read more…] about Clinician Consultation Center Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PEPline) and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Hotline (PrEPline)