Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PR Newswire - December 1, 1995
"Secrets" has been seen by more than 267,000 local students at middle schools, high schools, and colleges in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Nationally, "Secrets," has been performed for more than two million teens.
Viral load testing announced. Kaiser Permanente's Northern and Southern California Regions announced yesterday they will begin studies of the viral load test in appropriate HIV-positive patients. Because the diagnostic test has not yet received formal approval from the FDA, it will be administered under research protocols.
Northern California Kaiser Permanente HIV/AIDS program. Since 1981, Kaiser Permanente has treated more than 10,000 members for HIV-related illness. Each year, the region treats nearly 4,500 HIV/AIDS patients. Program highlights:
-- Research. In 1986, Kaiser Permanente became an original member of the research network of major universities and medical centers in 16 states created by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Medicine, to research causes, treatments and possible cures for AIDS. As a result, we were among the first medical organizations to use AZT, the first drug found to be effective in slowing the advance of HIV/AIDS.
This research network became the AIDS Clinical Trials Group, a prestigious national group that is involved on the forefront of HIV/AIDS research and treatment. Since 1987, more than 750 members of Kaiser Permanente have enrolled in trials sponsored by this respected organization. There are now 180 Kaiser Permanente members participating in 24 active studies.
-- Screening. Our innovative Prenatal HIV Screening Program is dedicated to reducing the rate of infection in newborns by encouraging a voluntary HIV test at the first prenatal visit. Early treatment reduces the risk of transmission by two thirds. In 1994, more than 16,000 pregnant women in Northern California were screened.
Kaiser Permanente's San Francisco medical facility has developed an aggressive CMV retinitis screening program which includes early testing, patient education and state-of-the-art treatment. Kaiser Permanente ophthalmologists in San Francisco developed the data used by the FDA in licensing Ganciclovir, one of the first drugs used in the treatment of CMV retinitis. They have also joined with Stanford University Medical Center to develop a test to predict which patients are at risk of developing this vision-threatening condition.
-- Patient education. Every Kaiser Permanente member who is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS is seen immediately by a physician, and offered to meet personally with a nurse, health educator and social worker. Patients may be placed on confidential mailing lists for lectures, workshops and other educational programs to stay informed on the latest research and treatment. Members with HIV/AIDS also have access to our extensive research library. Our health education program is open to the community, and non-members may attend our interactive "town hall" teleconference meetings, which feature a panel of HIV/AIDS experts.
-- Quality of care. Many of our members serve on various Kaiser Permanente HIV/AIDS advisory committees, which develop and monitor quality of care policies, including the regional HIV Advisory Committee and HIV Coordinators Group. This fall, a panel of specialists began developing guidelines for the Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment of HIV/AIDS. These guidelines will help direct programs throughout Northern California, among them, promoting HIV prevention and screening in primary care settings, early detection of HIV infection, preventing opportunistic infection, monitoring during periods of no symptoms and managing stages when symptoms appear.
Kaiser Permanente's Northern California outpatient clinic for HIV/AIDS patients and our home infusion care are among programs designed to improve quality of life. Patients can receive infusion treatment for two to three hours, then return home rather than be hospitalized. The regional Compounding Center delivers medication and IV supplies to the homes of patient who prefer to have this therapy at home. Kaiser Permanente also provides special HIV benefits coordinators to help members file for social security, disability and other government programs, and assure they maintain their health coverage. We also refer members to community HIV/AIDS programs that provide food or specialized services for HIV/AIDS patients who also have cancer or heart disease.
Community commitment. Kaiser Permanente has contributed to many AIDS-related organizations including Project Inform, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the AIDS Emergency Fund and the Asian AIDS Project.
Kaiser Permanente is the country's largest non-profit health maintenance organization (HMO). Founded in 1945, it is a group-practice with headquarters in Oakland, California. Kaiser Permanente serves the health care needs of 6.6 million voluntarily-enrolled members in 16 states and the District of Colombia. Today it encompasses Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc.; Kaiser Foundation Hospitals; and the Permanente Medical Groups. Nationwide they include more than 75,000 technical, administrative, and clerical employees and 9,300 physicians representing all specialties.
CONTACT: Molly Schultz, 510-284-7004/ 06:30 EST
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