Children's National Universal HIV Screening Program

Adolescents and young adults account for nearly 26% of all new HIV infections in the US, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in November 2012. In response to the CDC recommendations for routine universal HIV screening in healthcare settings, Children's National Medical Center (CNMC) implemented the Universal HIV Screening Program in the Emergency Department (ED) and recently expanded it to the inpatient clinical service. Universal HIV Screening Program at CNMC provides confidential routine opt-out HIV screening for all patients >13 years of age regardless of the chief complaint. The HIV Screening Program is sponsored by the District of Columbia's HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Administration (HAHSTA) through funding from the CDC, Family Health International 360, and National Institutes of Health.

The goal of this project is to achieve high rates of identification of new HIV infection and to decrease the spread of HIV among youth in metropolitan DC, which is severely affected by the epidemic.

The Universal HIV Screening Program at CNMC has provided more than 12,500 HIV tests in two EDs since implementing the program in March 2009. CNMC's HIV Screening Program has been recognized among top performing testing sites in the US and is one of the nation's leaders in universal HIV screening of adolescents and young adults >13 years among pediatric medical centers. In addition to delivering routine HIV screening, the HIV screening program provides universal education for the adolescents and young adults on HIV and sexual and reproductive health. The Program also provides a wide array of educational activities for medical professionals across metropolitan DC.