The Mountain-Midwest HIV Telehealth Initiative (MMHTI or the Initiative) is a collaboration of the Mountain Plains AIDS Education and Training Center (MPAETC; covering CO, KS, ND, NE, NM, SD, UT, and WY) and the Midwest AIDS Training + Education Center (MATEC; covering IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, and WI).

MMHTI is designed to enhance the capacity of clinics in the Mountain-Midwest region to provide state-of-the-art HIV clinical care and support services, thereby increasing access to high-quality care and improving health outcomes for patients with and at risk for HIV infection. The initiative is funded by HRSA’s HIV/AIDS Bureau to help primary care clinics provide cutting-edge services to patients with and at risk for HIV infection in accordance with the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. Our telehealth program is modeled after programs like Project ECHO at the University of New Mexico, which is proven to be an effective tool to improve clinical outcomes for under-served populations with complex health problems.

HOW IT’S DONE

MMHTI is a distance-based, collaborative network of providers, targeting clinics serving low volumes of HIV-diagnosed patients. The initiative provides free education and interactive group consultation events, as well as contact with HIV-experienced care providers for ongoing one-on-one consultation between telehealth events.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION

Participating clinics receive:

• Timely updates on HIV infection and related conditions from HIV-experienced care providers in monthly telehealth events
• Real-time interactive consultations on your own patients and care concerns during monthly telehealth events in a peer learning and support network
• Access to HIV-experienced care providers for ongoing consultation, outside of telehealth events
• Information about local, regional, and national resources related to HIV and commonly associated co-morbidities including Hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis, cardiovascular disease, mental health and substance abuse, including additional education programs and technical assistance through the MPAETC and MATEC
• Continuing education credits for each telehealth event
• Online access to current HIV-related resources and event materials

RECRUITING INDIANA CLINICS

MATEC is currently recruiting one or two Indiana primary care clinics for the MMHTI.  These clinics should be providing care to a small number of HIV infected patients.  All primary care clinics will be considered.  Your entire clinic team, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, nurses, as well as case managers, social workers, mental health and addictions care providers, dental health providers, and other clinic personnel are invited to participate in this program.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

Contact Courtney Chambers, MPH, Interim Regional Assistant Director of the Midwest AIDS Training + Education Center at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago. You can reach her at 312.996.3160 or cchamb7@uic.edu