Widget Update: AIDS Institute’s Clinical Education Initiative

Content From: HIV.gov•Published: April 27, 2010•3 min read

Every hour and 50 minutes a New Yorker is infected with HIV. In an effort to avert further HIV infections the AIDS Institute’s Clinical Education Initiative’s PEP Center developed the CEI WidgetExit Disclaimer. This CEI Widget educates health care providers about Acute HIV infection, Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) and Hepatitis B&C guidelines. The widget technology – desktop application which contains information that can be easily updated from a distance – is being utilized for the first time for HIV medical education.

The target audience for the widget is emergency room and primary care providers. The CEI widget was launched with a press conference that was covered in local newspapers statewide (New York Times, Village Voice, Daily News, El Barrio, etc.), and we also sent out several e-blasts to New York State health care providers and organizations.

Current Features

The CEI Widget has the following features:

  • New York State AIDS clock/counter reflecting the number of new HIV transmissions in New York State. The clock/counter is updated hourly.
  • Video podcasts with specific instructions on what to do with occupational and non-occupational exposures.
  • Consent forms in multiple languages (Yes, NYS still requires consent forms).
  • PEP reimbursement: Statewide directory of victims assistance programs.
  • NYS Hepatitis B & C guidelines.
  • NYS PEP & Acute Infection guidelines.

The CEI Widget has been greeted with rave reviews and most importantly it has been successfully installed on over 500 computers throughout New York State; enabling numerous health care providers working in emergency rooms, health centers, private practices, etc. to have easy access to updated information on PEP, Acute HIV Infection, Hepatitis B&C and HIV testing.

Improvements

Like all new initiatives the CEI Widget stumbled into a few challenges. The initial download percentage ranged from 50-60%, which was less than expected.The download percentage was felt to be due to challenges installing the application onto desktops. One key issue was installation onto systems with protective firewalls often present on medical centers and health department computer systems. Another key barrier to successful installation was the multi-step process required for installing the widget. This multi-step approach was deemed necessary to evaluate whether the widget and to assure that the widget was effectively downloaded and utilized.

We have addressed some of the installation issues by decreasing the number ofsteps required for installation as well as developing a detailed instruction document with frequently asked questions. In addition, an online version of the widget application has been created. You can view the online version directly at: ceiwidget.com/online/.

Future Updates

We are currently redesigning the CEI Widget application to address the issues outlined above as well as expand the topics within the application. Please visit ceitraining.orgExit Disclaimer to download the widget application or view the online version. We look forward to providing you with an update when we unveil the new CEI Widget application in June.

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