In accordance with California Assembly Bill 2439, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) was charged with creating a legislative report summarizing the findings and recommendations from an assessment of the effectiveness and feasibility of routine HIV screening in California emergency departments (EDs). CDPH enlisted Facente Consulting to conduct an extensive literature review, interview clinicians involved in California ED HIV screening programs, conduct site visits throughout the state, and design a quantitative assessment of testing outcomes from several California ED HIV screening programs.
Through this research, Facente Consulting found that the routine offering of HIV tests in hospital emergency departments is an effective means to diagnose, link and re-engage patients in care. The resulting report also included recommendations on practices and protocols that impact HIV screening program effectiveness, as well as important considerations for program sustainability.