title: Perspectives of HIV agencies on improving HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in the USA.
abstract: HIV healthcare services in the USA are made available through a complex funding and delivery system. We present perspectives of HIV agencies on improvements that could lead to an ideal system of HIV prevention, treatment and care. We conducted semi-structured interviews with representatives from 21 HIV agencies offering diverse services in Baltimore, MD. Thematic analysis revealed six key themes: (1) Focusing on HIV prevention, (2) Establishing common entry-points for services, (3) Improving information availability, (4) Streamlining funding streams, (5) Removing competitiveness and (6) Building trust. We recommend that in addition to addressing operational issues regarding service delivery and patient care, initiatives to improve HIV service systems should address underlying social issues such as building trust.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences , School of Health Professions, University of Missouri , Columbia , MO , USA.
authors.forename: Nidhi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khosla
authors.affiliation: b Department of Health Management and Informatics , School of Medicine, University of Missouri , Columbia , MO , USA.
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zachary
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D004465:Economic Competition; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006307:Health Systems Agencies / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D036301:Qualitative Research; D035502:Trust; D014481:United States
keywords: HIV; Vulnerable populations; collaboration; health services delivery; organizational behavior; qualitative research