The overall goal of the RAPID (Rapid ART Program Initiative for HIV Diagnoses) program is to create a set of “hubs” around the city where persons newly diagnosed with HIV (or out of care) can rapidly access antiretroviral therapy (ART) and have a smooth transition to their medical home. In order to accomplish this goal, a RAPID steering committee established hub locations, standard operating procedure (SOP) for ART start, and SOP for transition to a primary medical home. The committee works with SF Department of Public Health surveillance (now “ARCHES”) to track the uptake and outcomes of persons participating in the program. We build on the existing LINCS programs at SFDPH to create and support hubs for rapid initiation of ART to individuals.
We start ART:
Within 48 hours –
- If acute/early infection (recent negative Ab test, RNA+/Ab– or recent symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome) or
- Evidence of advanced infection (opportunistic infection or a CD4 count of less than 200)
Within 5 days –
- All other newly HIV-diagnosed persons
The program aims to provide ART for up to 5 days for these individuals until they are transitioned into their medical home.
RAPID Resources
[Publication] RAPID ART: High virologic suppression rates with immediate ART initiation in a vulnerable urban clinic population.
New data from San Francisco-based Ward 86 RAPID-ART program. Coffey S, Bacchetti P, Sachdev D, Bacon O, Jones D, Opsina-Norvell C, Torres S, Lynch E, Camp C, Mercer-Slomoff R, Lee S, Christopoulos K, Pilcher C, Hsu L, Jin C, Scheer S, Havlir D, Gandhi M. RAPID ART: High virologic suppression rates with immediate ART initiation in…
RAPID Care Options in SF
(Updated February 2020) RAPID Care Options in SF – a list of clinical sites in SF that can offer HIV medication to everyone within 0-5 days of HIV diagnosis regardless of insurance status If you have questions, please contact Susa Coffey (susa.coffey@ucsf.edu), Chair of the GTZ RAPID Committee.
RAPID News & Updates
2023 Spring Consortium Meeting Highlights & Recommendations
At the May 25th Consortium meeting, we focused on HIV prevention and treatment and quality of life for transgender and gender-diverse San Franciscans. Thanks to Dr. Erin Wilson for the update on HIV among transwomen in San Francisco. We had a phenomenal panel that included community member Gatsby, Pau Crego (SF Office of Trans Initiatives),…
Ward 86 shares clinical considerations and recommendations for starting patients on CAB/RPV LA therapy [Updated May 2024]
Ward 86, established in January 1983, is a large HIV clinic based at San Francisco General Hospital at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Ward 86 serves a publicly-insured and underinsured population of people with HIV and those at risk of HIV in the city of San Francisco. Purpose of this protocol Provide guidance…
Highlights from CROI 2023: A Report Back to the SF Community
Our local experts – Dr. Stephanie Cohen, Dr. Hyman Scott, Dr. Diane Havlir and Dr. Susan Buchbinder – presented updates on doxy-PEP, long-acting ART for prevention and treatment, Mpox, COVID and HIV vaccines. Here is a link to the recording – https://ucsf.box.com/s/8oz2otjgjsjkteyzp6cudd1mr6ffz4l2 – if you’d like to view/review the presentations. The audio only file is…
2022 World AIDS Day Consortium Meeting – PrEP, RAPID & Retention, DoxyPEP and drug overdose prevention in San Francisco
On World AIDS Day, we remember those we’ve lost to AIDS-related illness and reaffirm our support for those living with HIV. At this meeting, the GTZ-SF PrEP and RAPID/Restart & Retention committees presented their work plans to the community for input. GTZ-SF committees have been working to develop plans to address the challenges, gaps and…