Ryan White 2018: Workforce Training

Cross-posted from TargetHIVExit Disclaimer

In this recap, we highlight the work of the AETC network in training a new generation of HIV clinicians and provide a first-person insight on quality improvement training at the state level.

Preparing the Next Generation of HIV Providers

Regional AETCs across the United States are working to bring new clinicians into the HIV workforce through interprofessional education (IPE) programs. IPE trains learners in teams in clinical settings where trainees learn from, about, and through each other. One project in Los Angeles is conducting their IPE program through three separate health campuses for nursing (Charles Drew University), medicine (University of California, Los Angeles), and pharmacy (University of Southern California). "Clinical training rotations, which get people used to learning about HIV in terms of how Ryan White clinic teams work, interact, and best serve patients," explained Tom Donohoe, Director of the Los Angeles Area AETC, part of the regional Pacific AETC. "We want the best, the brightest and the most talented," said Donohoe.

"What we learned in this HIV IPE program with pharmacy, medical and nurse practitioner students is that they are highly motivated by addressing social justice issues. Unlike their peers of 30 years ago, they haven't seen people die of HIV in vast numbers, haven't had friends die. Their motivations are different."

Donohoe and others presented a Thursday session, Building the Future of the HIV Workforce – HIV Interprofessional Education Efforts. Teams of students from UCLA, USC, and Drew rotated at six Ryan White clinics in teams of three each. With some prompting, the project "decided to make a video because [we were told that] it was hard to capture things in statistics. It was a story that needed to be told. It's among the most satisfying projects we worked on," said Donohoe, acknowledging HRSA's support for the effort and the talent of the videographer.

Coaching and Quality

Lori DeLorenzo of Organizational Ideas has been delivering consulting support to RHWAP agencies for years. One of her focus areas is quality improvement TA and training through the Center for Quality Improvement and InnovationExit Disclaimer (CQII - formerly the National Quality Center). Lori shared her experience providing coaching and support for the CQII ECHO Project, building upon mechanisms established years ago to support a regional State of North Carolina quality improvement group for their Part B-funded sites. Coaching topics include strategies for engaging leadership and staff into quality improvement efforts to how to carry out tasks like agency and community quality assessments. (See the NQC Training on Coaching Basics GuideExit Disclaimer for insights on quality coaching.) Lori, North Carolina, and CQII presented a Thursday session, Aligning Improvements across Sub-Recipients and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Parts.