Organization Advocates for HIV Specialist Training

The American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM) has established criteria defining a specialist among physicians and other healthcare workers treating individuals with HIV/AIDS.

The development of a definition of an HIV/AIDS specialist comes at a time when AIDS patients, healthcare providers and public health officials are attempting to address the rapid changes and escalating costs of treating HIV/AIDS.

The Academy's effort concerning HIV/AIDS specialists is among the first attempts nationally to establish a yardstick to measure the quality care being provided to individuals with AIDS. The Academy's definition emphasizes the base line criteria for an HIV specialist is the ability to demonstrate Continuous Professional Development in the area of HIV treatment.

Criteria that AAHIVM requires that an HIV specialist satisfy are:

• Be a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or doctor of pharmacology.

• Take part in ongoing medical education programs (at least 15 continuing medical education credits annually as well as complete a self-assessment evaluation).

• If receiving less than 30 credits of continuing medical education each year, participate in a self-testing assessment program to measure core competencies.

• Treated a minimum of 20 HIV patients in the past two years.

AAHIVM is not affiliated with any other professional medical organization or institution and is the only independent HIV/AIDS medical association. The Academy has more than 1,000 members caring directly for more than 225,000 HIV patients, more than half of all patients in ongoing treatment for HIV disease.

Call AAHIVM toll free at (866) 241-9601 or visit www.aahivm.org.