• Company
• Members
• Providers
• Medical Scheme
• Employers

HIV Risk Management

The HIV Risk Management programme ensures that patients who are registered on the plan are receiving appropriate management of their condition and that they are supported through this process to ensure an optimal clinical outcome for the individual whilst managing the financial risk for the scheme. Focus is placed on adequate care, the education and support of enrolled patients to empower them with the skills and knowledge to manage their condition through not only pharmaceutical intervention, but by following a healthy lifestyle and managing the psychological and social issues that are often associated with HIV.

Emphasis is also placed on supporting treating healthcare practitioners through the process of managing patients living with HIV. This is carried out by way of telephonic guidance and the distribution of Qualsa's HIV Management Guidelines to service providers - the aim being to change prescribing behaviour to fall in line with accepted treatment guidelines.

Each patient's condition and stage of illness is assessed in order to compile a treatment plan (including medication, consultations and investigations) to suit the individual patient's requirements and to align with the scheme's benefits. Ongoing counselling, education and support are provided by experienced HIV Case Managers, tailored to suit the patient's needs. The objective is to maximize adherence to the treatment plan by the patient. Responses to treatment and patient progress are monitored through investigation to estimate immune status and viral load.

Differentiating features

Qualsa has the ability to offer a range of HIV Risk Management services to the scheme and its associated employer groups in order to assist with the integration of employer and scheme strategies in this regard, and to ensure that a consistent message is conveyed by these two entities. This includes:

• HIV Policy Development
• HIV Risk Management Consulting services
• Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Surveys (KAP)
• Project Management
• HIV/AIDS Initiative Audit

Qualsa assists employer groups in the implementation of Voluntary HIV Counselling and Testing (VCT) initiatives, with a seamless and supportive programme enrolment process for those individuals testing HIV positive at VCT sites. We provide the management of HIV VCT services and all individuals who test HIV positive during these processes are contacted by the Qualsa HIV Department to encourage early enrolment onto the treatment programme, dependant upon their medical scheme status. Employees are more likely to have an HIV test if they are aware of options available to them after they receive the test result, and this is clearly communicated at all stages of the preparation for VCT.