The Links: Testing and Linkage to Care Webinar Series

Link 1

HIV in Maryland: Epidemiology, Intersectionality, Engagement, and Equity

How do we end the HIV epidemic in Maryland? Advancements in prevention, care, and treatment have made ending the HIV epidemic in the US an achievable goal. Meeting this goal for Maryland and achieving optimal health outcomes through the reduction of HIV transmission requires awareness of the state of HIV and using data proactively to identify gaps and strengthen linkages to HIV prevention, care, and treatment efforts statewide. 

This webinar will equip providers and health staff with an overview of the state of HIV in Maryland by examining the epidemiology, the current gaps in the HIV care continuum, and utilizing data to improve the effectiveness of care. 

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe the populations most impacted by HIV in the State of Maryland.
• Differentiate between underserved, vulnerable, marginalized, and at-risk populations.
• Identify best practices in addressing gaps as it pertains to community engaged research.
• Define and apply intersectionality to understand the most highly impacted populations in the State of Maryland.
• Explain how COVID and responses to the pandemic have affected people living with HIV in the State of Maryland.

1.0 AMA, AAPA, ANCC, APA, ASWB, ACPE credits are available for this activity free-of-charge.

Link 2

Core Skills for HIV Management

Routine HIV screening is a key access point for linkage to care. Despite CDC guidelines recommending that all persons aged 13 to 64 receive an annual HIV screening, the majority do not, and many who do get tested receive no follow-up. Appropriately-timed interventions for people who have received an HIV diagnosis reduce the risks of clinical progression, complications, and transmission. Following an HIV diagnosis, clinicians and service providers should be keenly aware of appropriate treatment, referral, and support strategies. This includes identifying evidence-based interventions, such as antiretroviral therapy (ART) and behavioral recommendations that address access issues and other barriers to care. 

This webinar will provide an overview of important clinical considerations for persons with HIV and highlight the importance of implementing – and normalizing – routine HIV prevention and treatment in primary care settings. 

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Define the importance of routine HIV screening in primary care. 
• Identify effective strategies to assess patients’ sexual health and substance use history.  
• Discuss the linkage to care process for newly-diagnosed patients in the HIV care continuum.  
• Describe health maintenance considerations for patients with HIV.  
• Review primary care guidelines, common lab tests, antiretroviral options, and side effect management for patients with HIV.  
• Identify key long-term complications for people with HIV.  

1.0 AMA, AAPA, ANCC, APA, ASWB, ACPE credits are available for this activity free-of-charge.

Link 3

Enhancing Culturally Appropriate Communications: Patient-Provider Interventions

Link 3 will be available soon.

Patient safety and high quality culturally appropriate care should be goals for all healthcare professionals. Equitable patient-provider communication is an essential component of care. For communication to be effective, and to facilitate patient understanding, information must be culturally and linguistically competent, accurate, and responsive to the patient’s health literacy skills.

This webinar will explore organizational strategies that providers can use to improve patient-provider communication at their practice. These strategies involve teamwork training initiatives; the adoption of structured, culturally-tailored communication tools; and effectively implementing team briefing processes.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Name key factors that play a role when communicating with patients/customers. 
• Describe how culture and health literacy impact patients’ engagement in care.
• Describe culturally tailored communication strategies providers can use to enhance patient understanding.
• Discuss how stigma, discrimination, and bias can interfere with the implementation of equitable communication strategies.

1.0 AMA, AAPA, ANCC, APA, ASWB, ACPE credits are available for this activity free-of-charge.

Link 4

Retention and Re-Engagement in HIV Care

Linking or re-engaging and retaining people living with HIV (PLWH) in ongoing, primary care is vital for ending the HIV epidemic and ensuring a full, healthy lifespan for the greater than one million PLWH in the US. However, 41–44% of individuals living with HIV are not accessing regular, ongoing HIV care, and the epidemic disproportionately affects some demographic subgroups. Changes in the HIV workforce and ways that HIV care is delivered increase the need for re-thinking practice models and provision of training and education, including cultural competency to better serve clients based on their race/ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, or socio-economic backgrounds. Collaboration between health department units, collaboration between the health department and external stakeholders, and creation of new partnerships are essential for establishing and sustaining a coordinated referral system, identifying and filling service gaps, and avoiding duplication. Additionally, updated data systems are necessary to facilitate the movement of PLWH through the continuum of care steps.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Summarize the HIV continuum of care and the importance of patient retention and re-engagement.
• Recognize barriers and facilitators to HIV retention and re-engagement.
• Identify evidence-informed practices to improve HIV retention and re-engagement.

1.0 AMA, AAPA, ANCC, APA, ASWB, ACPE credits are available for this activity free-of-charge.