Implementing an innovative, proactive, patient retention system

Implementing an innovative, proactive, patient retention system using two-way texting (2wT) between new ART patients and staff to resolve potential retention issues before they occur and improve data quality (e.g. identifying transfers), reducing B2C workload. Using a quasi-experimental, pre-post design, the study is testing a hybrid 2wT intervention to provide adherence support for, and visit-focused communication with, new ART initiates at MPC clinic, comparing retention (ART outcomes, visit adherence, VL) and B2C referrals among two groups of new MPC ART clients: 2wT-supported (prospective intervention) and matched pre-2wT (retrospective comparison). Primary collaborators are Lighthouse and the University of Washington’s International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), and Medic Mobile. Funding is provided by Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health award in 2020.