Qualifications for Physicians Who Manage the Longitudinal HIV Treatment of Patients with HIV

This document was developed to provide guidance for identifying qualified HIV physicians to health systems, programs and insurers. It is intended to facilitate access to high quality and appropriate HIV care for patients with HIV/AIDS.

HIVMA believes that an HIV-qualified physician should manage the longitudinal HIV treatment of patients with HIV disease. In defining HIV-qualified physicians, it is important to take into account the training and expertise of infectious disease specialists and pediatric infectious diseases specialists, as well as the expertise and experience of internists, family medicine practitioners and other specialties who have made a significant professional commitment to HIV/AIDS care and who care for nearly 50 percent of patients with HIV.

There is ample evidence in the research literature that care by experienced HIV providers translates into improved clinical outcomes and that HIV medicine does not fall under the purview of any one medical specialty. We recommend that credentialing processes to identify HIV- qualified physicians be based on a combination of patient experience and the demonstration of ongoing education and training in HIV care, especially in the area of antiretroviral therapy.

Qualifications

HIV physicians should demonstrate continuous professional development by meeting the following qualifications:

• In the immediately preceding 36 months, provided continuous and direct medical care, or direct supervision of medical care, to a minimum of 25 patients with HIV; AND
• In the immediately preceding 36 months has successfully completed a minimum of 40 hours of Category 1 continuing medical education addressing diagnosis of HIV infection, treatment for HIV disease and co-morbidities, and/or the epidemiology of HIV disease, and earning a minimum of 10 hours per year; AND
• Be board certified or equivalent in one or more medical specialties or subspecialties recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Osteopathic Association.

OR,

• In the immediately preceding 12 months, completed recertification in the subspecialty of infectious diseases with self evaluation activities focused on HIV or initial board certification in infectious diseases. In the 36 months immediately following certification, newly certified infectious diseases fellows should be managing a minimum of 25 patients with HIV and earning a minimum of 10 hours of category 1 HIV-related CME per year.

Updated February 3, 2010. Read the full document.