{"title":"Organizational Characteristics of Medical-legal Partnerships Serving People Living with HIV: Challenges and Opportunities","authors":"Allen Partono, Xiang Zhu, Omar Martinez","doi":"10.1016/j.apmr.2025.01.070","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To investigate what characteristics and strategies of medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) proved to invaluable to improving outcomes for people with HIV (PWH). To understand the potential benefits of MLPs and challenges with their implementation.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>A mixed-method analysis was conducted using both categorical features of MLPs, including the person who carries out the screening for health harming legal needs, whether the MLP was community-based or an organization, and how legal services were provided, and number of services offered on-site or referral based on responses to a cross-sectional survey of MLPs. We conducted a multiple variable linear regression analysis with these variables in association to the main outcome measures.</div></div><div><h3>Setting</h3><div>We used an online survey questionnaire to gather data for the study.</div></div><div><h3>Participants</h3><div>Data came from a cross-sectional survey of MLP providers through a national survey of clinics, community-based organizations, and hospitals across the United States. This data used for this study used survey data from a previous NIH study that was already completed with prior IRB approval done. The data did not collect identifiable information about themselves or their patients and were compensated with a $30 gift card. Inclusion criteria for this survey were organizations that had a patient population with over 50% of their patients living with HIV.</div></div><div><h3>Interventions</h3><div>No intervention was carried out.</div></div><div><h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3><div>Percentage of patients in their clinic that have achieved HIV viral suppression and percentage of patients completing a follow-up appointment every 6 months.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Analysis showed that having clinician posing as the initial screener for health harming legal needs was associated with a lower likelihood of completing a follow-up appointment for PWH (<em>P</em><.05). We also found the community health organizations were associated with a greater number of patients achieving a suppressed HIV viral load (<em>P</em><.10). Finally, we found that that the number of on-site services were associated with an improvement with bout outcome measures.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Study findings highlight factors impacting outcomes in HIV care. Notably, clinician-led screening for health harming legal needs linked to reduced follow-up appointments for PWH, signaling an imperative for improved clinician training. The presence of community health organizations and on-site services emerged as key contributors to enhanced outcomes, emphasizing comprehensive care approaches in HIV care. Further research is needed to document best practices and approaches within medical-legal partnerships to improve HIV care outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Disclosures</h3><div>none.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8313,"journal":{"name":"Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation","volume":"106 4","pages":"Page e27"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003999325000966","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"REHABILITATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
To investigate what characteristics and strategies of medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) proved to invaluable to improving outcomes for people with HIV (PWH). To understand the potential benefits of MLPs and challenges with their implementation.
Design
A mixed-method analysis was conducted using both categorical features of MLPs, including the person who carries out the screening for health harming legal needs, whether the MLP was community-based or an organization, and how legal services were provided, and number of services offered on-site or referral based on responses to a cross-sectional survey of MLPs. We conducted a multiple variable linear regression analysis with these variables in association to the main outcome measures.
Setting
We used an online survey questionnaire to gather data for the study.
Participants
Data came from a cross-sectional survey of MLP providers through a national survey of clinics, community-based organizations, and hospitals across the United States. This data used for this study used survey data from a previous NIH study that was already completed with prior IRB approval done. The data did not collect identifiable information about themselves or their patients and were compensated with a $30 gift card. Inclusion criteria for this survey were organizations that had a patient population with over 50% of their patients living with HIV.
Interventions
No intervention was carried out.
Main Outcome Measures
Percentage of patients in their clinic that have achieved HIV viral suppression and percentage of patients completing a follow-up appointment every 6 months.
Results
Analysis showed that having clinician posing as the initial screener for health harming legal needs was associated with a lower likelihood of completing a follow-up appointment for PWH (P<.05). We also found the community health organizations were associated with a greater number of patients achieving a suppressed HIV viral load (P<.10). Finally, we found that that the number of on-site services were associated with an improvement with bout outcome measures.
Conclusions
Study findings highlight factors impacting outcomes in HIV care. Notably, clinician-led screening for health harming legal needs linked to reduced follow-up appointments for PWH, signaling an imperative for improved clinician training. The presence of community health organizations and on-site services emerged as key contributors to enhanced outcomes, emphasizing comprehensive care approaches in HIV care. Further research is needed to document best practices and approaches within medical-legal partnerships to improve HIV care outcomes.
期刊介绍:
The Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation publishes original, peer-reviewed research and clinical reports on important trends and developments in physical medicine and rehabilitation and related fields. This international journal brings researchers and clinicians authoritative information on the therapeutic utilization of physical, behavioral and pharmaceutical agents in providing comprehensive care for individuals with chronic illness and disabilities.
Archives began publication in 1920, publishes monthly, and is the official journal of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Its papers are cited more often than any other rehabilitation journal.