2023 PrEP Webinar Series: Oral and Injectable PrEP
The topics for each session were:
Session 1: Understanding Injectable PrEP and Oral PrEP
In this session, the IDTA@JSI team and Dr. Kevin Ard from the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center at The Fenway Institute provided an overview of the different benefits and challenges of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and injectable PrEP, related to eligibility, initiation, dosing schedule, administration, lead-in dosing, clinical effectiveness, laboratory test requirements, and side effects.
This session focused on increasing participants’ ability to:
- Recall the PrEP continuum of care and the main barriers to oral PrEP uptake as described in IDTA@JSI’s 2021 PrEP Group Learning Series.
- Identify oral and injectable PrEP as options for HIV prevention.
- Explain the similarities and differences between oral and injectable PrEP, including eligibility, dosing schedule, laboratory test requirements, and other clinical considerations.
Session 1: Understanding Injectable PrEP and Oral PrEP slide deck
Session 2: PrEP Financing and Payment
Monday, May 8, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 PM
In this session, the IDTA@JSI team and representatives from AccessHealth MA and the Center For Health Law and Policy Innovation (CHLPI) at the Harvard Law School provided an overview of billing and reimbursement for oral and injectable PrEP, and how infectious disease service providers can incorporate these activities into current processes, according to MDPH policy. The session also covered strategies for addressing potential financial barriers that clients may face, such as lack of insurance coverage or absence of payment assistance for all PrEP-related services including appointments, labs, and prescriptions. Strategies include assisting clients with benefits enrollment, as well as accessing PrEP financial assistance programs.
This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to:
- Describe the PrEP billing and reimbursement policies for public and private insurers in Massachusetts as of May, 2023.
- Apply strategies to support PrEP access and adherence for both insured and uninsured clients.
- Identify the key PrEP financing and payment components that should be incorporated into HIV prevention program workflows.
Session 2: PrEP Financing and Payment slide deck
Additional Resources from Session 2: PrEP Financing and Payment
Session 3: PrEP Decision-Making: Client and Provider Communication
Monday, June 5, 2023, 3:00 – 4:30 PM
In this session, the IDTA@JSI team shared strategies for providers to support clients in identifying a PrEP option (oral or injectable) that’s right for them. IDTA@JSI shared sample messaging strategies and other considerations for providing education to clients about PrEP options. The session included a discussion of client-level, program-level, and population-level factors related to injectable and oral PrEP access and uptake, with an emphasis on specific populations such as people experiencing homelessness, refugees, commercial sex workers, transgender individuals, people who use substances, and women. IDTA@JSI emphasized the importance of engaging communities of color to promote equitable access to and increased PrEP uptake across demographic groups.
This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to :
- Describe the client-level, program-level, and population-level factors that affect PrEP access and uptake.
- Recall the key messages about oral and injectable PrEP that should be conveyed when providing client education on PrEP as an HIV prevention tool.
- Apply client-centered messaging strategies to support clients in identifying a PrEP option that’s right for them.
Session 3: PrEP Decision-Making: Client and Provider Communication slide deck
Session 4: Integrating PrEP Into Clinical, Non-Clinical, and Inter-agency Workflows
Monday, June 26, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 PM
In this session, the IDTA@JSI team offered an overview of workflow considerations for providing oral and injectable PrEP. The session focused on how to integrate screening for PrEP eligibility, providing education on PrEP options, prescribing PrEP, and conducting PrEP follow-up into existing workflows or new workflows. For non-clinical agencies, speakers also shared strategies for partnering with clinical providers to facilitate client access to PrEP. The IDTA@JSI team introduced process mapping as a tool for reviewing and revising workflows and identifying key roles and staffing considerations for successful implementation.
This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to:
- Describe the main workflow considerations for clinical agencies to provide PrEP to patients, including screening for PrEP eligibility, providing client education, prescribing PrEP, and conducting PrEP follow-up.
- Describe strategies for non-clinical agencies to facilitate client access to PrEP.
- Utilize process mapping as a tool to implement successful PrEP workflows in their agency.
Session 4: Integrating PrEP Into Clinical, Non-Clinical, and Inter-agency Workflows slide deck