AEGiS-AP: UVA clinic plots rural HIV project: Patients are given cell phones to receive texts to stay in treatment Associated PressImportant note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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UVA clinic plots rural HIV project: Patients are given cell phones to receive texts to stay in treatment

Associated Press - December 29, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - The University of Virginia's Infectious Disease Clinic is piloting a text-messaging program in hopes of improving contact with HIV patients in rural areas.

The program was launched this summer when a social worker doing outreach work found that patients in rural areas missed appointments and fell out of treatment more often than those in urban areas.

As part of the program, patients are given cell phones that are limited to receiving texts, and calling health care providers and emergency contacts.

The program is structured to see if the cell phones help keep HIV patients returning to care in line with treatments for longer than six months.

Rebecca Dillingham, assistant professor in UVa's department of medicine, says medication and keeping appointments are both important to treatment.


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