Patient Retention in HIV Medical Care in a Primary Care Practice in Australia

Many deficits in the spectrum of engagement in HIV care are still present and pose barriers to optimal treatment outcomes. These deficits include late diagnosis of HIV , insufficient linkage to and retention in care (RiC), poor usage of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and suboptimal adherence to ART. Based on data from the United States Center for Disease Control, where a cascade of care has been developed examining total numbers with HIV, numbers diagnosed, numbers linked to care, numbers on treatment and numbers on effective treatment; only about a quarter of persons living with HIV (PLWH) in the US are effectively in care, with undetectable HIV viral load.

Current data available in an Australian population are based on a patient modelling analysis, highlighting the lack of real cohort data from clinical practices managing HIV patients in Australia.

Appropriate continuum in care is relevant both for the prognosis of the single patient and for reducing the HIV transmission in the community. Substance use, high CD4 cell counts and young age seem to be risk factors for failure to establish care.

Holdsworth House Medical Practice (HHMP) is a high HIV-caseload community medical practice in inner city Sydney that provides a Continuum of Care for HIV-infected patients, from counselling and testing to antiretroviral treatment.

In this audit, we will examine retrospectively the case notes of >2000 HIV-infected patients who attended HHMP in Darlinghurst, Sydney, New South Wales with documented HIV infection from 1st January 2009 to 31st March 2014.

The primary objective of this audit is to determine linkage and retention in care in patients with HIV-1 infection and reasons for loss to follow up. Audit findings will be systematically evaluated, and where indicated, changes will be made with the aim of monitoring linkage and retention in care.

The initial audit will include patients with documented HIV-1 infection, who have attended the practice over a 5-year period (2009 - 2014) for at least 2 visits that are separated by 3 - 12 months, with specific laboratory tests (i.e. CD4 T lymphocyte count, plasma HIV RNA etc.) performed either on-site or at a co-management site.

Retention in care will be assessed by the number of visits to either HHMP or co-management sites over a 5-year period (2009 - 2014) for each patient audited. Demographic data along with laboratory test results and antiretroviral therapy regime data will be collected to assess factors associated with retention in care.

Inclusion criteria

• Documented HIV-1 infection
• Attendance during the study period for at least 2 visits >3 months and <12 months apart with measured laboratory virological or immunological markers (either on-site or at a co-management site)

Exclusion criteria

• Attendance by patient with HIV infection who does not have laboratory markers of HIV viral load or CD4 count measured
• Incomplete/inaccessible patient records to enable patient to meet inclusion criteria
• Initial visit after 1st January 2014