Why provide HIV testing in hospital EDs?
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York State Department of Health are recommending that HIV testing become a routine part of medical care in a variety of settings, including EDs. Rapid HIV testing in emergency settings has proven an effective means to increase the number of persons who are identified as HIV-positive and transitioned into appropriate care. The CDC estimates that approximately 25% of the 850,000 to 950,000 people living with HIV in the United States do not yet know they are infected. In fact, many already have weakened immune systems when they first test positive and are concurrently diagnosed with HIV and AIDS. There are several benefits to early knowledge of HIV infection. The first is early entry into treatment and access to highly effective antiretroviral treatments. In addition to these personal benefits, knowledge of one’s infection can help prevent the spread of HIV to others.
