About AIDS

Another study is out showing that choosing a doctor carefully really does make a difference in getting good HIV care. Briefly, general physicians are less likely than HIV-experienced specialists to follow the latest guidelines for HIV care. In treating HIV disease, following the rules fully can mean life or death for the patient.

Other studies also have shown that a doctor's experience level in HIV treatment is a major factor in the patient's long-term survival, and the same is true of hospitals - experience counts! A doctor with 25 or more HIV cases under his/her belt is more likely to give competent care. A general physician - perhaps the good ol' doctor you've always gone to - may be great for other things, but without a lot of experience, he/she probably isn't up on the latest information about HIV, info that constantly changes. An inexperienced physician should refer HIV patients to doctors who know more about the disease or should at least seek guidance and supervision.

Austin is fortunate to have some great HIV doctors. The David Powell Clinic, for example, has years of treating HIV/AIDS and offers excellent care to the medically indigent. Several private physicians, as well, are highly qualified. If you are HIV-positive but not seeing a doctor with HIV-specific experience, ask the ASA Resource Team for referrals. After checking things out, you may want to become a patient of a more experienced physician.

(For details about Valerie Stone's study at Brown University School of Medicine, go to the Kaiser Family Foundation's Web site at www.kff.org)