ince 1983, the UCSF Positive Health Program (PHP), the HIV/AIDS Division at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH) has been recognized as a world leader in the field of HIV/AIDS medicine. PHP was the site of the world’s first inpatient facility devoted exclusively to HIV/AIDS patients. With its home base at SFGH, the program has been ranked as the top facility in the country for AIDS care by scientific and general publications, including U.S. News and World Report. PHP has three programmatic priorities: HIV primary care, HIV research and HIV education. The program’s mission to provide and improve care for those living with HIV extends from San Francisco to the global community. PHP conducts a variety of HIV-specialized primary care clinics, administers a broad range of clinical trials, and offers diverse educational programs in San Francisco and abroad. Despite the many challenges of working in a public health facility with extremely limited infrastructure, the professional caliber of the PHP staff and its profound dedication to combating the epidemic of HIV/AIDS is extraordinary in the US and in the world.
Primary care: PHP features an interdisciplinary approach to care that integrates medical, psychosocial and educational priorities. PHP serves some 3,000 patients, most who have little or no health insurance. In addition to handling urgent and primary care, PHP case management professionals compliment clinicians by maintaining ongoing communication with patients to help them connect with the myriad of community services that can address their needs. The clinic utilizes an electronic medical records system designed specifically for HIV care. Specialized programs include a dedicated women’s clinic, services for patients co-infected with Hepatitis C and services for patients using self-injected intravenous therapy.
Research: The PHP’s faculty is among the world’s most referenced researchers and direct multiple NIH and industry-sponsored clinical trials on various topics in basic and investigative translational science. These include: new HIV agents, drug resistance, treatment strategies, acute/early infection, long-term non-progression, post-exposure prophylaxis, HIV/Malaria and HIV/TB co-infection. PHP’s research programs include sites in San Francisco, and in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a large program in Uganda.
Education: In pursuit of educating medical professionals, patients, and the community-at-large, the PHP offers several model programs focused on practical training at all levels. PHP has one of the nation’s only HIV specialist training programs for physicians, the PHP HIV Clinical Scholar’s Fellowship. Physician researchers also receive training with PHP faculty through an NIH-sponsored T32 translational research program. The PHP weekly Grand Rounds lecture series provides the local community with a forum where topics range from new medications and treatment protocols to clinical case studies and innovative care strategies. PHP also produces Medical Management of AIDS, an annual conference that draws hundreds of local, regional and international providers who interact and learn about the latest advances in HIV clinical care.
International Work: PHP’s international work includes training, clinical care and research collaborations with local academic and grassroots organizations in Africa. These efforts are coordinated through the Positive Health Program international initiative ASPIRE (AIDS Services, Prevention, Intervention, Research and Education). ASPIRE staff focus on helping providers and patients optimize effective, locally appropriate HIV care in Zambia, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire and Zimbabwe. Our researchers have a large and growing collaboration between UCSF and the University of Makerere in Uganda which brings together U.S. and Ugandan researchers specializing in HIV, TB, and malaria in adults and children. ASPIRE also offers an extensive series of trainings for providers from around the world who come to SFGH to learn HIV medicine, research and program administration. PHP faculty also influence global HIV/AIDS policy through active leadership of World Health Organization (WHO) and setting global standards to treat HIV disease and recently establishing a Global HIV Drug Resistance Surveillance Network.
