CHOOSING A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER FOR YOUR HIV TREATMENT

There are a number of things that you must consider when searching for the right healthcare provider for your HIV treatment. "Healthcare Provider" can mean a physician, a Nurse Practitioner, or a Physician's Assistant (Nurse Practitioners and Physician's Assistants are not doctors, but they have received extensive education and training and in most states they are allowed to treat patients with only a minimum amount of physician supervision). You and your provider must work together as a team- and remember, you are the most important member of that team. Take an active role in planning your healthcare, read and learn all that you can about the disease - The Body is a great informational website to explore. Work in partnership with your provider to make decisions about you health care. This will make it much easier for you to stick to your treatment plan and to remain healthy.

If you are newly diagnosed with HIV, you are most likely feeling overwhelmed, and may tend to avoid and procrastinate when it comes to seeking treatment. These behaviours are understandable, but may also be detrimental to your health. Early treatment will help you to understand what is going on in your body, and will also allow your provider to assess whether or not you need life-saving medications immediately. It can prevent or delay the progression of your disease to AIDS and prevent you from getting sick. You will also need a place to turn for emotional support, information, and education. Early in treatment, you will receive information regarding preventing the spread of HIV infection, safer sexual practices, and needle exchange programs if you are an intravenous drug user. You will also be directed to a counsellor or your local Health Department to discuss notification of any sexual or needle-sharing partners of their possible exposure to HIV.

If you are relocating to a new city, you will want to research the available healthcare options in your new location, and make the best decision for continuing your care in a timely manner.

You may also want to change providers as time goes on. You always have the right to stop seeing a provider and change to another at any time, for any reason. If you don't like your provider or you feel uncomfortable with him or her, or if you feel that your health care needs are not being addressed or your ideas about your treatment are now different from your provider's, then it is time to search for another provider.

Following are some important things to consider when choosing a provider:

1. Training and Experience: HIV treatment is very complicated and changes quickly, and there are many things to consider at all stages of the disease. It is essential that you see an HIV specialist (someone who treats a significant number of HIV infected patients and who is certified as a specialist by the American Academy of HIV Medicine. Your provider must be committed to staying current and up-to-date with the field. Ask how many HIV patients the provider has treated, and how many they currently see. Ask if he or she has experience treating patients at all stages of the disease.
2. Availability: Ask the office staff how long it usually takes to get an appointment, or to reschedule an appointment if you have to cancel. Also inquire about being able to get an appointment quickly if you are sick or are having a problem. You can see a general internist for other primary care needs, but I would recommend that you search for an HIV specialist who is also willing to provide primary care services. Every time another provider treats you, there is the potential for a possible HIV-related problem to be overlooked, or for a medication to be prescribed that has interactions with your HIV medications. You also need to find out how easy it is to have your provider return phone calls to you when you have questions that cannot be answered by the nursing staff.
3. Office Staff and Environment: You will most likely have complex problems and issues that will require expert assistance from support staff such as nurses, insurance and billing specialists, mental health and substance abuse counsellors, social workers, and case managers. The support staff is there to assist you in obtaining the benefits and help that you need. Although your initial visit to the office will be frightening and intimidating, you should be able to come out of the visit with a feel for whether or not the office and the provider will be a good fit for you and will provide you with the services that you need .
4. The Patient-Provider Relationship: Your relationship with your provider is perhaps the most important aspect of your care. During the initial visit with the provider, you will be able to assess if you will be able to develop trust and confidence in the provider. Most people do not want a "canned" approach to their healthcare, where every patient must do the same thing. Remember, this is a partnership, not a dictatorship. Discuss your goals and ideas about treatment to make sure that the provider is willing to be somewhat flexible and adjust to your needs, while still providing you with high-quality care. You will get a feel for the provider's overall outlook and approach during this initial visit - is it optimistic and hopeful? In order for you to get the best care, you must be comfortable discussing anything with your provider. He/she must be comfortable and non-judgemental about sensitive lifestyle issues such as sexual practices and drug use, to name just a few.

These are just a few things to consider when making this all-important decision. Take your time, and do your research. Choose a provider who is well-qualified, but who will also respect and listen to you. Remember, this is all about YOU!!!!!