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
RAPID News & Updates
2022 GTZ-SF Consortium Winter Forum – follow up on long-acting injectable antiretroviral treatment (LAI-ART)
This convening is a follow-up on the discussion from last Spring. Jon Oskarsson, RN MN and Janet Grochowski, PharmD shared their experience thus far in implementing LAI-ART at SFGH/Ward 86. Ernest Hopkins from the SF AIDS Foundation addressed issues of national and state policy, and advocacy for LAI-ART and PrEP. We also heard from David,…
GTZ-SF 2021 World AIDS Day Consortium Meeting
Thanks to all who were able to join us last Thursday for the Consortium Meeting! It was a great meeting with reflection, compelling data, exceptional panelists, and an important discussion around what we can do individually and collectively to address the drug overdose crisis in San Francisco and prevent more deaths. Slides from the evening’s…
San Francisco: Golden Compass
Quality of Life: Aging with HIV From IAPAC HIV Policy Brief Best Practices for Attaining and Surpassing 90-90-90 for Select Fast-Track Cities, Vol. 1, No. 1, December 1, 2021. “The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) collected and validated through a peer-review process a series of Fast-Track City best practices utilizing the World…
[New Publication] Development of a Citywide Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiative in San Francisco
Oliver M.L. Bacon, Susa C. Coffey, Ling C. Hsu, Jennie C.S. Chin, Diane V. Havlir, Susan P. Buchbinder, Development of a Citywide Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiative in San Francisco, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 61, Issue 5, Supplement 1, 2021, Pages S47-S54,ISSN 0749-3797, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.06.001.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379721003615) Introduction Ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. holds rapid antiretroviral…