Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and urgent care medical providers can be powerful allies when combined in the fight against HIV infection. Unfortunately, PrEP use in the urgent care setting is underused due to a lack of resources, provider staff knowledge, and comfort on the part of providers. An urgent care–specific PrEP protocol was developed, and 29 providers from six different urgent care facilities in Louisiana participated in a 20-week quality improvement project. The developed urgent care–specific PrEP protocol resulted in an increase in knowledge and comfort and a reduction in barriers associated with PrEP use. Overall, the urgent care PrEP protocol showed the ability to assist the urgent care clinician in many areas previously noted in research as reasons for reduced PrEP use. The urgent care PrEP protocol serves as an additional tool for the urgent care providers in HIV biomedical preventative care. The results of this project are reported using the Standards of Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence.
By recognizing the importance and success of AAPs for adults, providers can improve their personal practice through increased AAP delivery. Understanding today's available platforms and formats for AAPs will allow providers a widened subject knowledge base and increased adaptation of patient AAP needs for the adult population. Increased provider knowledge can potentially increase AAP use for adults, as well as improve overall patient outcomes.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an HIV preventive service and treatment that is continuing to evolve. With the availability of in-house lab screenings and simplifi ed testing protocols, primary care providers are in a unique position to initiate and provide the added layer of HIV protection for their patients.
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