Center of Excellence for HIV/AIDS

Empowering Patients Through Education and Treatment

Today, HIV is a completely manageable condition. There’s a community of medical experts, peers, and allies that can help you prevent it, test for it, and treat it.

Know your status. Get tested, stay protected.  

The Center of Excellence project is a standardized and coordinated delivery system encompassing a comprehensive range of services needed by individuals or families with HIV disease to meet their healthcare and psychological needs throughout all stages of illness. 

Please note that the services below are available to people who meet the program's guidelines. To ensure that the care you receive is specific to you and to guarantee you are eligible for the services you are requesting, you must contact a Case Manager and schedule an appointment to meet at: (423) 930-8337

*Para obtener más información en español, comuníquese con María Ramírez, Especialista en Retención de: (423) 930-8337

Services for People Living with HIV/AIDS:

Health Services

• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Provider care
• Support services
• Prevention
• Testing

Social Support Services

• Case management
• Crisis support
  • Crisis Support services are offered to address a wide range of needs. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, contact 9-1-1, immediately. If no immediate danger to yourself or others is present, but you are still experiencing an extreme mental health situation contact Crisis Stabilization at: 1-877-928-9062.
• Transportation
• Food
• Financial
• Employment
• Housing 
• Clothing
• Mental health & substance abuse
• HIV education
• Prevention
  
  • Use condoms every time you have sex.
  • Talk to your partners about HIV and ask that they get tested with you.

Providers

Click here to see a full list of providers.

Locations

• Payment Information

  All services are offered regardless of gender, race, color, sex, religious beliefs, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or insurance status. No one will be denied access to services due to inability to pay. The COE for HIV/AIDS offers a discounted sliding fee scale based on Percentage of Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) determined by family size and income, an annual cap on charges for Ryan White eligible patients, and assistance for patients who are uninsured or under insured to obtain health insurance and other benefits.

  Patients can view how ETSU imposes charges for Ryan White eligible patients by requesting the “Ryan White Sliding Fee Scale” and “Cap on Charges” forms from clinical staff. Your Medical Case Manager can provide you with these documents as well. Eligibility for Ryan White services requires re-certification every year. Participating members receive discounts on services such as: diagnosis, treatment, counseling, provider care, support services, and testing.

• Goals of the Center of Excellence for HIV/AIDS

  • To optimize the client’s self-care capabilities by empowering them to direct his/her own life decisions.
  • To identify the extent of the client’s informal support systems.
  • To assist the client in locating and accessing existing services in areas including entitlement benefits (Medicaid and/or Social Security Disability Services), medical care, housing, counseling, transportation, and legal services.
  • To ensure that duplication of services by formal and informal support systems does not occur.
  • To provide the client with educational information regarding disease transmission and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and encourage and reinforce good health habits and secondary prevention methods over the course of case management.
  • To identify and document patterns of service needs and advocate for effective policies and resource development.
  • To facilitate the initial and on-going education of health care and social service providers to the issues surrounding HIV disease.
  • To ensure that program funding is appropriately used to meet the documented needs of HIV+ persons throughout the region in a manner that coordinates funding streams and makes use of existing community resources and services.

• Community Partners

  Cempa Community Health champions healthy communities by providing affordable, compassionate, and high-quality care through advancing comprehensive support services and person-centered best practices.

  Since its beginning in 2001, NPS Pharmacy has been committed to providing unique, tailored, and caring service for patients, taking healthcare and sense of community to the next level.

Why ETSU Health?

In 1996, a statewide coalition of individuals, agencies and organizations involved in the medical care and support of HIV/AIDS patients was formed. Meetings began early in 1997. A goal of the coalition activity was to create a statewide standard for optimal care of HIV/AIDS patients. This involved recognition of certain sites where a superior level of care was already available (Centers of Excellence). Also established was a method to determine what comprises optimal care. 

These activities resulted in a framework attractive to and supported by not only patients, but also by various insurance entities and other organizations that are involved with these patients. 

The Center of Excellence project is a standardized and coordinated delivery system encompassing a comprehensive range of services needed by individuals or families with HIV disease to meet their healthcare and psychological needs throughout all stages of illness. 

The State of Tennessee provides HIV drug assistance, medical services and insurance assistance for eligible Tennessee residents. To be eligible for coverage by the Ryan White Part B Medical Services Program, the Insurance Assistance Program, and the HIV Drug Assistance Program, a recipient must meet the program criteria and then see a medical case manager. 

The East Tennessee State University HIV/AIDS Center of Excellence is the clinical arm of the Center of Excellence in Inflammation, Infectious Disease, and Immunity at Quillen College of Medicine. In this capacity, the COE also provides avenues for research and interprofessional education.

Manage Your Health with MyChart

ETSU Health’s MyChart provides you with secure 24/7 access to your health records, plus many other helpful features to manage your care. Through MyChart, you have access to upcoming appointments, provider notes, test results, health records, and medications. MyChart also allows you to message your provider, view and pay your bill, and request medication refills.