In this episode of Going anti-Viral, Dr Michael Saag speaks with Dr Melanie Thompson who is a clinical researcher and provider of HIV clinical care in Atlanta, Georgia. As Principal Investigator and Executive Director of the AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta (ARCA), she has led over 400 studies of HIV treatment and prevention and is recognized as an expert in the treatment of patients with HIV. In the episode, Dr Thompson and Dr Saag discuss the recently released 2024 update of primary care guidance for providers who care for persons with HIV by the HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (see links in resources below). They address topics such as telemedicine, outreach to underserved populations, and how to create a welcoming clinic to improve retention in care. They discuss how HIV providers have been leaders in primary care in areas like hepatitis and address how to bring future generations of providers into HIV medicine. Finally, they address the importance of providers being advocates to their elected representatives about HIV medicine and that providing care to individuals, no matter who they are and where they come from, improves overall public health.
0:00 – Introduction
1:30 – A discussion of Dr Thompson’s background in HIV medicine and transition from primary care to focus on HIV
4:54 – What’s new in the recently released primary care guidelines for persons with HIV
8:40 – Discussion of new recommendations in how providers can manage outreach, including providing mobile care to individuals with substance use disorder and unstable housing
15:15 – Treatment of hepatitis as an example of how HIV medicine has led the way in providing primary care
17:04 – Review of guidance on substance use disorder including the use of Narcan and Buprenorphine
19:14 – Reflections on the importance of providers being advocates to their elected representatives
24:10 – A discussion of how to create a future generation of HIV providers whether from internal medicine or infectious diseases, or both
28:05 – Closing remarks
Resources
HIV Medicine Association - https://www.hivma.org/
HIVMA/IDSA HIV Primary Care Guidance - https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciae479/7818967?login=false