HIV Care Continuum Telehealth Technical Assistance ECHO
COVID-19 disrupted HIV care. We have an opportunity to transform it.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced health care systems to rapidly adopt telehealth and telemedicine protocols and technologies that reduce the risk of viral transmission, conserve resources, and maintain patient care.
This abrupt transition presents unique challenges to HIV providers and patients, who already encounter issues of access, treatment, and continuity. The urgency of the pandemic requires immediate, deliberate action to implement telemedicine paired with prudent choices to maintain services in the long term.
To address this transition, we have partnered with the UT Health San Antonio AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) and engaged members of the UT System Virtual Health Network, and Texas Department of State Health Services to host a monthly HIV Care Continuum Telehealth Technical Assistance ECHO. Each session will offer a brief didactic on delivering HIV screening, prevention, and treatment services via telehealth and telemedicine. This will be followed by a short case presentation from clinics implementing telehealth and telemedicine, followed by robust, interactive discussion.
Our multidisciplinary team:
- Waridibo Allison, MD, PhD:
- Assistant Professor/Infectious Disease
- Medical Director, San Antonio AIDS Foundation
- Program Director, UT Health San Antonio South Central AIDS Education Training Center (AETC)
- Mari Robinson, JD:
- Director, UT System Virtual Health Network
- Margaret Adjei, PharmD:
- Community Pharmacist, ASP Cares Oliver Black: IT Expert, UT System Virtual Health Network
- Brian Rosemond, BSN, RN:
- HIV Care Services Nurse Consultant, Texas Department of State Health Services
Free CME, CNE, CPE
In support of improving patient care, Project ECHO® is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Register at: uthscsa.edu/echo/events/
Session Schedule
Sessions run on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, 12-1:15 pm CDT (with exceptions for holidays)
Session slides & recordings
Please check back often for new content. View all session recordings here.
Session 1: HIV Telehealth & Telemedicine in the Era of COVID-19
Session summary: On October 14, 2020, UT Health San Antonio ECHO launched the monthly HIV Care Continuum Telehealth Technical Assistance ECHO. This series, conducted with members of the UT System Virtual Health Network and Texas Department of State Health Services, provides guidance and support for clinics delivering HIV care through telehealth and telemedicine technology. The first session included an overview of regulatory, clinical, and technological considerations as well as a presentation from Permia Care about their telemedicine efforts.
Session 2: November 4, 2020
Session Summary: Brian Rosemond from the Texas DSHS provided a didactic on the Interim Guidance for the Use of Telemedicine and Telehealth for HIV Core and Support Services and Valley AIDS Council provide a presentation on their new program called RAPIDO which is utilizing telehealth technology.
Session 3: December 9, 2020
Session Summary: Oliver Black, IT Expert for the UT System Virtual Health Network, provided a demonstration of telemedicine equipment and the San Antonio Metro Health Department described its TelePrep initiative.
Session 4: January 13, 2021
Session Summary: Becky Bounds, MSN, RN-BC, CPHQ from the TexLa Telehealth Resource Center presented on the return on investment for HIV telemedicine followed by a case presentation from Project Transitions on integrating telehealth into residential housing initiative for persons living with HIV.
Session 5: February 10, 2021
Session Summary: John Scott, MD, MSc, FIDSA from University of Washington presented on conducting a primary or acute care telemedicine visit followed by a case presentation from Texas Health Action on their Telemedicine implementation efforts.
Session 6: March 10, 2021
Session Summary: Desiree Estrada, APRN, FNP-C at San Antonio Metro Health presented on utilizing telemedicine for PrEP, followed by two case presentations from the Valley AIDS Council on using TelePREP.