title: Improved HIV-related outcomes associated with implementation of a novel public health information exchange.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate HIV-related outcomes associated with use of a novel public health information exchange that was designed to identify out of care HIV-infected individuals seen within a large, integrated delivery network (IDN).
  
  
  METHODS
  A novel, secure, bidirectional health care delivery-public health information exchange, the Louisiana Public Health Information Exchange (LaPHIE) was developed between a multi-geographical IDN and the Louisiana public health authority in response to the high proportion of out of care HIV-infected persons. The system provides real-time provider alerts when any HIV-infected person who has not had CD4 or HIV viral load (VL) monitoring in >1 year receives non-HIV care within the IDN, allowing immediate linkage to HIV specialty care. Persons identified over the first 30 months of the system's implementation were characterized using a case-cohort approach to compare out-of-care individuals with randomly sampled, time-matched in-care controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 2/1/09 and 7/31/11, 549 alerts identified 419 unduplicated HIV-infected individuals without a CD4 count or VL in >1 year. Patients were identified at 60 clinics and alerts shown to 223 clinicians in 7 participating facilities. A quarter (24%) of those identified had not had a CD4 count or VL conducted since their initial diagnosis. Of the remaining 76% who had been in care previously, over half (55%) had been out of care for ≥18 months, with a median time of 19.4 months [IQR 15.0-32.5] since their previous visit. Following LaPHIE identification, 42% had CD4 counts<200 cells/mm(3) and 62% had VL>10,000 RNA copies/mL. Of the 344 patients with at least 6 months of follow up, 85% had at least one CD4 and/or VL test after being identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study demonstrate that an information exchange can effectively facilitate engagement, re-engagement, and retention of out-of care HIV-infected persons in HIV specialty care. Within two years, we were able to observe significant improvements in HIV-related utilization and disease progression indices. Future programs should consider adopting this innovative strategy to improve HIV care at both the individual and population levels.
authors.affiliation: George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington, DC 20037, United States. manyadm@gwu.edu
authors.forename: Manya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magnus
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herwehe
authors.forename: DeAnn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wilbright
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shepard
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foxhood
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: DeYoung
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaiser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D015980:Public Health Practice; D016896:Treatment Outcome