Helping Hospitals Eliminate Perinatal HIV Transmission

Getting to Zero Workshop: How Hospitals Can Use Rapid Tests to Virtually Eliminate Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission

HRET is sponsoring free upcoming workshops for hospitals interested in implementing rapid HIV testing in labor and delivery units. Each daylong workshop will include information on CDC HIV testing recommendations, point-of-care vs. laboratory testing, state laws, prophylaxis and treatment, referral and counseling, and reimbursement. Workshops are open to hospital staff in labor and delivery, nursery, emergency, laboratory, infectious disease, and pharmacy. These workshops are part of a larger partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HRET is looking to sponsor more workshops in other states. For more information on having a workshop in your state, contact Joan Miller at jmiller@aha.org or 312-422-2619.

Upcoming Workshops

Date 

Location 
Friday, June 27, 2008  Oakland, CA - Hilton Oakland Airport, Empire Room, Building 5
Tuesday, July 29, 2008  Washington, DC - George Washington University Hospital, Auditorium 
Thursday, July 31, 2008  Baltimore, MD - MedChi, Osler Hall 
Monday, Sept. 8, 2008  Miami, FL - University of Miami, Mailman Center Auditorium 

 

 

 

 

 


To attend a workshop, contact Jennifer Reiter at jreiter2@aha.org.

In addition to sponsoring free workshops in a number of states nationwide, HRET is also offering free individual technical assistance to hospitals interested in implementing rapid HIV testing in labor and delivery units. The training can include information on CDC HIV testing recommendations, test selection, cost, point-of-care versus lab testing, consent, and linkages to care, among other issues. Training can be on-site or via conference call as needed. Technical assistance is open to hospital staff in labor, delivery, nursery, pharmacy, laboratory, and infectious disease departments. The technical assistance support is part of HRET's partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information on technical assistance and to schedule a hospital visit, contact Joan Miller at jmiller@aha.org or 312-422-2619.

More on Perinatal HIV

Sponsored through a cooperative agreement with the CDC, HRET joins a team of national organizations in a coordinated effort to eliminate perinatal HIV transmission. The reduction of mother-to-child HIV transmission in the United States stands as one of the great successes in public health history. However, this fight is far from over. Perinatal HIV transmission still accounts for 91% of all pediatric AIDS cases today. Most notably, an estimated 31% of the mothers of HIV-infected infants had not been diagnosed with HIV before labor and delivery.

Through this project, HRET specifically aims to improve perinatal HIV prevention efforts in hospitals and health care systems. Hospitals can play a critical role in the national effort to move from reduction to virtual elimination of perinatal HIV. Routine voluntary HIV testing during pregnancy has proven effective in early identification of HIV-infected pregnant women. With early diagnosis, medical intervention can reduce the rate of mother-to-child transmission to less than 2%. In addition, recent findings show that rapid HIV testing and treatment for women presenting in labor without prior prenatal care prevents HIV infections and reduces costs. Read more about perinatal HIV transmission in the United States.

HRET's four-year study began with a nationwide survey of US hospitals with 300 or more annual births. The survey ascertained hospitals' current screening and follow-up treatment policies. The results have guided the development of tools and training materials for hospitals. HRET has also convened an advisory panel of leading maternal and child health and perinatal HIV experts to refine product development and advise on dissemination strategies. Read more about HRET's planned activities.

The second HRET perinatal HIV survey is currently being revised and expanded to include more information and ask questions on hospital settings outside of labor and delivery and the nursery.

HRET, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is presently gearing up to release the Perinatal HIV Resource Binder. The binder was created to address mothers that present to labor and delivery with an unknown HIV status. The binder is a resource tool for any hospital that may encounter a birth at any given time. It is equipped with information that covers the planning, implementation, and operational needs of testing a mother and/or her child for HIV. The Perinatal HIV Resource Binder can be used for planning a testing program in labor and delivery and the nursery or can be used as an emergency plan for unexpected births. The Perinatal HIV Resource Binder is set to be released in spring 2007.

Click here for Perinatal HIV Links and Resources.