Editor’s note: Due to space considerations, in the last issue of Positively Aware we left out Dr. Howard Grossman’s call for medical credentialing in his reflection on 25 years of the epidemic. Grossman is the executive director of the American Academy of HIV Medicine and a longtime HIV specialist. We run his comments here now.—Enid Vázquez
“We face a crisis in the provision of care for those with HIV. With few exceptions, HIV providers have never made as much money as our colleagues. There were other compensations, however. In the ’80s there was no ready group of senior clinicians—we were the ‘young turks,’ boldly moving forward in a field that most providers didn’t want to touch. Professional advancement was easier. We also got to learn each new drug and new test one at a time, while feeling we were on the cutting edge of medicine.
“Today’s young providers face an AIDS establishment full of rapidly aging senior clinicians. They also have to learn everything immediately that we had 20 years to learn. As in most primary care areas, but perhaps more so, there is a growing shortage of young providers willing to go into the field.
“The American Academy of HIV Medicine is trying to change that. With our Study Guide and Update Workshops we are educating more providers about HIV. We have also developed a credential, the AAHIVM HIV Specialist (AAHIVS) designation, to help people living with HIV identify dedicated providers who have taken medical education courses and passed our exam. This should help to identify the best providers for patients. Ask your provider if he or she is credentialed by AAHIVM.” Visit www.AAHIVM.org.
From the Editor: At a recent meeting of the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care, one HIV specialist noted that new doctors are not taking on HIV care due to the poor reimbursements provided by managed care. Small clinics find it hard to meet expenses when large numbers of patients with HIV are seen. He reported that in one state, a clinic with five outstanding HIV specialists closed—and all of them refuse to see new HIV patients in their new practice. Another doctor reported that when interns were asked what they thought healthcare reimbursement would be for various treatments, they vastly overrated the amounts. She said young doctors need training in finance to prepare them for HIV care.—EV e
Note: The International AIDS Society–U.S.A. also offers educational sessions for providers. Visit www.iasusa.org. |
