Improving clinic culture to help people with HIV stay in care and keep their virus suppressed
Enhancing the Organizational Social Context to Improve Viral Suppression and Retention in HIV Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This project tries changing how HIV clinics work so people living with HIV stay in care and reach and keep an undetectable viral load.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11120853 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient view, clinic teams will use an approach called ARC to make clinics more accessible, responsive, and continuous so staff attitudes and routines better support patients. Four outpatient HIV clinics are randomized: two will use ARC and two will continue usual care, and patient outcomes like clinic attendance and viral suppression will be tracked over time. ARC uses practical tools, principles, and mental models to shift organizational culture and climate so that evidence-based care is more consistently delivered. The goal is to see whether these clinic-level changes lead to longer retention in care and higher rates of sustained viral suppression for people receiving care there.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV who receive care at the participating outpatient HIV clinics, especially those who have difficulty staying in care or maintaining viral suppression, are ideal candidates to benefit.
Not a fit: People who do not receive care at the enrolled clinics or who already reliably attend care and have sustained viral suppression may not see direct benefit from this clinic-focused intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help clinics keep more people engaged in care and increase the number who achieve and maintain viral suppression, improving health and reducing transmission.
How similar studies have performed: ARC is an evidence-based organizational intervention with prior success in improving clinic behavior, but its direct impact on HIV retention and viral suppression is less well tested.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Momplaisir, Florence M — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Momplaisir, Florence M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.