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745. Operationalization of Comprehensive Sexual Wellness Clinic at a Large Urban Emergency Department

BACKGROUND: Due to the closure of surrounding city-run sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics, uninsured and underinsured patients living near an urban academic medical center have been relying on the Emergency Department (ED) for their sexual health needs. A novel Sexual Wellness Clinic (SWC)...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Hazra, Aniruddha, Schmitt, Jessica, Bender, Alvie, Moore, Michelle, Scott, Cheryl, Garcia, Damaris, Pitrak, David
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Oxford University Press 2019
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6810973/
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofz360.813
Descripción
Sumario:BACKGROUND: Due to the closure of surrounding city-run sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics, uninsured and underinsured patients living near an urban academic medical center have been relying on the Emergency Department (ED) for their sexual health needs. A novel Sexual Wellness Clinic (SWC) was created to provide comprehensive sexual healthcare and primary care linkage to patients presenting to the ED with STI complaints. METHODS: SWC-eligible patients are identified at ED intake and undergo a Medical Screening Exam (MSE) by a triage physician before transport to clinic. Notable exceptions to the SWC are patients who are pregnant, younger than 18 years of age, victims of sexual assault, or deemed to require higher acuity care. Once at the SWC, patients undergo a complete history and physical examination, comprehensive STI testing, and, if indicated, empiric treatment as well as same-day initiation of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). Social services within the clinic also assist in arranging primary care follow-up either at the medical center or an affiliated Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). RESULTS: During its initial 8 weeks, 28 patients were seen in the SWC; 35.6% were cis-female and 64.2% were cis-male. All female patients identified as women who have sex with men, 89% of male patients identified as men who exclusively have sex with women. Patient ages ranged from 18 to 55 with a mean age of 25. Overall, 17.8% of patients tested positive for gonorrhea; 7.1% tested positive for chlamydia, and 0% tested positive for syphilis. One new HIV diagnosis was identified. Same-day PrEP was initiated in 28.5% of patients of which 62.5% (n = 5) were female and 37.5% (n = 3) were male. SWC linked 79% of patients to primary care. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated the feasibility of this unique workflow bringing patients from the ED to a specialized sexual health clinic. The majority of patients visiting SWC identified as heterosexual men and women, which differs from other metropolitan STI clinics. Identifying these populations with untreated STIs and other HIV risk factors for targeted intervention is integral to local and national HIV elimination efforts. DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.