Building Rural HIV Clinical Practice Support through Academic Detailing

Goal: Establish a strong foundation for academic detailing with the rural context.

Actions:

1. Map stakeholders: Identify priority partners, including community health centers, RWHAP clinics (medical and dental), local health departments, pharmacies, CBOs, hospitals, correctional settings, substance use treatment programs, PrEP providers, FQHCs, and HIV/STI testing sites. (Include Asset Map template.)
2. Define roles: Identify a Rural Provider Detailer. This role may be shared across staff and integrated into existing responsibilities.
3. Secure leadership buy-in: Use talking points emphasizing improved patient outcomes, reduced provider burden, and no-cost AETC support.
4. Plan delivery format: In-person, virtual, or hybrid based on geography and capacity.
5. Ensure technology readiness: Test platforms and prepare both print and digital materials.
6. Prepare engagement materials: Customize outreach emails, call scripts, flyers, and scheduling tools.

Tip: Use approachable language (e.g., "practice support session") to avoid concerns about oversight or evaluation.

Goal: Initiate respectful, relationship-centered engagement with clinical teams.

Actions:

1. Use trusted instructions: Leverage peer networks, health departments, and community champions.
2. Offer flexible scheduling: 15-30 minute sessions aligned with clinical flow; phone or virtual options encouraged.
3. Use local data: Share relevant HIV, STI, and prevention data to demonstrate relevance.
4. Assess provider needs and growth edge: Prior to or at the start of the session, identify what the provider or team wants to focus on.

Sample Needs Assessment Prompts:

• What HIV-related topics feel most challenging in your practice right now?
• Are there services you would like to offer but don't yet feel comfortable providing?
• What would make this session most useful for you?

Sample Outreach Templates

Initial Outreach Email - Subject Line Options:

• HIV Clinical Training & Practice Support Opportunity
• Brief HIV Care & Prevention Support for Your Clinical Team
• Provider Education & Support: HIV Testing, PrEP, and Care

Email Body:

Dear [Organization Name],

I'm reaching out from [Your Program], which supports rural clinical teams through brief, personalized practice support sessions focused on HIV care and prevention. We are part of the federally funded AIDS Education & Training Center (AETC) Program and provide no-cost training and technical assistance. Sessions are typically 15-30 minutes and scheduled at a time that works best for your team. Topics are tailored to your interests and clinical needs.

Would you be interested in schedule a session?

Warm regards,

[Your Name]

Goal: Provide concise, actionable, and evidence-based guidance tailored to identified needs.

Actions:

• Confirm priority topics based on provider input
• Use one-page fact sheets, case examples, and conversation guides
• Encourage discussion and questions
• Provide clear next steps and resources
• Select relevant topics: HIV testing, PrEP, stigma reduction, aging with HIV, behavioral health, rapid ART initiation
• Use ready-made materials: One-page fact sheets, conversation guides, case examples
  • Prescribing PrEP: A Guide for Healthcare Providers | National AETC Support Center (NASC)
  • Non-Occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (nPEP) Toolkit | National AETC Support Center (NASC)
  • Rapid (Immediate) ART Initiation & Restart: Guide for Clinicians | National AETC Support Center (NASC)
• Share Trusted Resources:

Training & Clinical Decision Support

• National Clinician Consultation Center
  aidsetc.org/directory/nccc
  Expert clinical consultation for HIV (HIV warmline and Perinatal HIV Hotline), PrEP, PEP, HCV, and substance abuse.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HIV Clinical Guidelines
  https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/en/guidelines
  adult/adolescent + pediatric antiretroviral therapy guidelines, perinatal HIV guidelines, adult/adolescent + pediatric opportunistic infection guidelines, caring for people with HIV displaced by disasters guidelines
• CDC non-occupational and occupational PEP guidelines
  Clinical Guidance for PEP | HIV Nexus | CDC
• National HIV Curriculum
  hiv.uw.edu
  A no cost, up-to-date educational resource for health care professionals to learn about HIV diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
• National HIV PrEP Curriculum
  hivprep.uw.edu
  A no cost, up-to-date educational resource for healthcare professionals to learn how to assess, initiate, and monitor HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

Clinical Practice Tools

• AETC HIV Care Tools App
  aidsetc.org/app
  A free, offline-capable mobile app offering point-of-care tools for clinicians caring for people with or at risk for HIV infection.

Patient & Community Resources

• HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program
  ryanwhite.hrsa.gov

Note: Program availaibility and funding can change. Always verify eligibility and open status before referring patients.

Adapt materials for each clinical care team setting and knowledge level.

Leave-behinds: Provide handouts for clinical care team members.

Ongoing Support & Follow-Up (AETC Program Commitment):

Academic detailing is an entry point – not an endpoint. Providers who expand or adapt HIV-related services are supported through:

• Ongoing regional AETC technical assistance.
• Clinician consultation services (e.g., HIV Warmline)
• Follow-up practice support sessions
• Referrals to self-directed training (National HIV Curriculum, National HIV PrEP Curriculum, National AETC Support Center resources)

This longitudinal support helps providers feel confident sustaining and expanding their scope of practice.

Goal: Monitor engagement, strengthen relationships, and support continuous improvement

Focus initially on process and relationship metrics, such as outreach attempts, sessions completed, topics addressed, and follow-up needs. Patient outcome data may be reconsidered later once trust and data-sharing capacity are established.

Goal: Ensure sustainability and realistic growth

• Prioritize high-impact components during pilot phases
• Standardize core metrics and success stories
• Leverage existing AETC infrastructure
• Share lessons learned through Rural Communities of Practice
• Plan for phased expansion based on capacity and resources