Testing for HIV: Current practices in the academic ED

The objective of this study was to determine common practices for testing f or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), particularly in patients with other sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in emergency departments (ED) with resi dency training in Emergency Medicine, Via mail, 112 directors of academic e mergency medicine programs in the United States were surveyed. Surveys from 95 academic institutions were completed, returned, and included in the ana lysis. Three EDs (3%) routinely tested for HIV in patients with suspected S TD, HIV testing was performed in the ED in 54% of responding institutions u nder special circumstances such as employee testing after occupational expo sures (54%), cases of rape (46%), and suspicion of HIV infection by clinica l manifestations other than suspected STD (36%). Based on the results it wa s determined that academic EDs do not routinely test for HIV in patients su spected of having a STD and have variable testing practices and policies re garding other possible HIV exposures. Copyright (C) 1999 by W.B. Saunders C ompany.