HIV-Positive Inmates To Receive Tool To Help Improve Continuity Of Care (NAPSA)—The launch of a portable health history card that is not patient identifiable is expected to help HIV-positive inmates manage and monitor the success of their HIV care both in and out of correctional facilities. The Patient History Card, produced by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., empowers patients to monitor their therapy and informstheir physicians about their treatment history. Cards will be available free of charge to all correctionalfacilities in the U.S. “We designed the Patient History Card as a foldable, walletsized card so that HIV-positive inmates can carry it with them at all times,” said David Wohl, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina, who helped design the card. “The card enables patients to record eurrent medication, viral loads, CD4+ counts, weight by date, past HIV medications, drug allergies, hepatitis status, vaccinations and other information thatis critical to the effective management of their health.” Patient names and the terms “HIV” and “AIDS” are not included on the card to assist in maintaining privacy. Continuity of Care The majority of inmates are incarcerated multiple times for multiple offenses. For HIV-positive inmates, this movement in and out of correctional facilities disrupts the continuity of their health care, makingit difficult to track and adhere to appropriate treatment regimens. Disruptions in therapy may diminish the effectiveness of a treatment regimen and limit the numberof therapeutic alternatives available in the future. The Patient History Card facilitates the patient’s Prisoners account for less than half a percent of the U.S. population, yet make up more than 10 percent of all AIDS cases in the U.S. interaction with multiple health care providers, enabling patients to continue receiving their therapy in any setting. The card can be ordered by correctional facilities by calling toll-free 1-877-9334310 ext. 9527 or ext. 9551. “Non-adherence to therapy is the number one problem that I face when treating HIV-positive inmates. The resulting drug resistance not only decreases a patient’s own treatment options, but can impact the community at large should the resistant virus be spread to others. It is therefore crucial to arm HIV-positive inmates with tools to manage their disease both in and outside of correctional facilities,” said Dr. Karl Brown, infectious disease supervisor at Rikers Island Correctional Facility.
