Improving the Outcomes of Care for Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Abstract

A wide spectrum of specialists and generalists are now delivering care of increasing complexity for patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Few of these physicians have had any formal training in what is, in many respects, a new multidisciplinary medical specialty. Within health care organizations, there is often little coordination among practitioners who treat HIV-infected patients. In some systems, such patients are intentionally “mainstreamed” by assigning their care to generalists regardless of the experience or training of the physicians or their interest in this disease. When this happens, important recent advances in management may never reach the patients. . . .