By Jaclyn Seebsitt
It’s been 35 years since the first reported cases of what would come to be known as HIV/AIDS, with more than 36.7 million people currently living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, including 1.2 million in the United States. Did you know that today, as compared to the general population, Kaiser Permanente members and patients with HIV/AIDS are generally diagnosed earlier, have higher levels of adherence to their medications and have lower mortality rates?
That’s why it makes sense that for the second year in a row, Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States hosted a region-wide World AIDS Day event on December 1, to help raise awareness about HIV prevention and increase education about HIV disease and the fight against it. We’d like to thank all of the physicians and staff across the region whose hard work and dedication to our members made this event a success. See a full list of the key staff members who made this happen below.
At our Largo, Capitol Hill, Baltimore Harbor, and Tysons Corner Medical Centers, we offered convenient, no-appointment-needed (and no cost for members) HIV screenings, informational booths, and educational seminars to generate dialogue about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. The educational seminars were open to anyone who wanted to learn more about HIV/AIDS in a comfortable, open dialogue setting with discussion driven by the attendees. Here are some other highlights from the event:
- At Tysons Corner, more than 40 patients participated in a Rapid HIV Test Pilot, which included consultation with one of our infectious disease physicians and quick results. The test is currently unavailable in KPMAS, but the pilot will help us in future efforts to make it available to members beyond World AIDS Day.
- Based on feedback from last year’s event, satellite phlebotomy stations were set up at Capitol Hill and Largo to allow more members to be tested more quickly.
- Baltimore Harbor was a new location chosen (instead of South Baltimore) for this year to engage more members in primary care.
Overall, the event was a success and we’re looking forward to next year. But what happens after World AIDS Day? “We are proud of the integrated HIV care we provide in MAPMG and KPMAS. Once a patient is identified as HIV-positive in KPMAS, we get them into our HIV care QUICKLY and comprehensively; getting them the preventive care they need, onto correct HIV medicine (with financial assistance as required) and helping them be safe and thrive,” said Dr. Michael Horberg, Executive Director, Research, Community Benefit, and Medicaid Strategy, Infectious Diseases Physician. Read more about Kaiser Permanente’s efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS and the history of the disease on Kaiser Permanente Share.
Check out some photos below of our employees at the events across the region. Thank you again to all of our staff and physicians whose dedication to our members made World AIDS Day a success:
DCSM:
Dr. Michael Horberg, Executive Director, Research, Community Benefit, and Medicaid Strategy, Infectious Diseases Physician, and Executive sponsor for Kaiser Permanente World AIDS Day
Dr. Peter Kadlecik, Chief, Infectious Diseases
Dr. Saadia Griffith-Howard, Associate Medical Director & Infectious Diseases Physician
Dr. Anuradha Subramanian, Infectious Diseases Physician
Dr. Charles Levy, Infectious Diseases Physician
Dr. Faria Farhat, Infectious Diseases Physician
Karen Rudat, Infectious Diseases Clinical Operations Manager (COM)
Sholara Williams, Infectious Diseases RN
Jennifer Fair-Harrison, Infectious Diseases RN
Pearl Seals, Infectious Diseases Clinical Assistant
Patience Che, Infectious Diseases Clinical Assistant
Lily Jarrett, Executive Consultant, Strategic Program Design and Implementation, MAPMG
Libby Crawford, KP Thrive Ambassador
Paula Davis, KP Thrive Ambassador
Jackie Blank, Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute Director, Research Analytics and Data Development
NOVA:
Dr. David Yoho, Chief, Infectious Diseases
Dr. Nhat Doan, Infectious Diseases Physician
Dr. Ligia Pic-Aluas, Infectious Diseases Physician
Lisa Gebhardt, Infectious Diseases COM
Jayluz Arandia, Infectious Diseases RN
Kate Wilkowski, Infectious Diseases Clinical Assistant
Ayanna Wells, KP Health Education Consultant
Donna Fox, KP Thrive Ambassador
Lisa Seely, KP Thrive Ambassador
BALTIMORE:
Dr. Metti Kanno, Lead Physician, Infectious Diseases
Dr. Mona Gahunia, Associate Medical Director & Infectious Diseases Physician
Holly Dawsey, Psychotherapist
Kim Phelps, Medical Social Worker, Complex Case Management
Arlene Weber, Infectious Diseases COM
Tiffany Reaves, Infectious Diseases Clinical Assistant
Kathia Miles, KP Thrive Ambassador
Debra Morehouse, KP Thrive Ambassador
LAB:
Cheryl Ward, Director, Regional Lab Services
Dr. Ginnie Beyer, Chief Department of Pathology and Laboratory
Adetoun Ejilemele, Clinical Laboratory & Technical Consultant
Joe Wheeler, Laboratory Operations Manager, DCSM
Chris Burke, Laboratory Operations Manager, Baltimore Service Area
Carmen Lane, Laboratory Supervisor, Tyson Corner and Falls Church Medical Centers
EVENTS
Jane Edwards, Director, Brand Engagement and Corporate Events
Martha Tesfaye, Manager, Enrollment and Sales Event Support
