#AskTheHIVDoc: How do I find an HIV care provider?

#AskTheHIVDoc is a series of short explainer videos from Greater Than HIV featuring top HIV doctors covering all aspects of HIV from prevention (including PrEP) to diagnosis, care and treatment, as well as the basics.

In this installment, Dr. David Malebranche, MD, MPH, explains terms like CD4 and T-Cell, viral load and HIV undetectable. He also covers the basics of HIV treatment – why it matters, how it works, when to start – as well as covers getting into care and finding support.

These videos are provided for educational purposes and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.

TRANSCRIPT:
You can go to the Greater than HIV Web site and get a list of some of the providers and some of the programs that you can get that can help you get these medications for free. You can also talk to your local community based organizations or AIDS service organizations or ASO's, or even the Departments of Health are actually very helpful with getting people providing services.

Don't get stuck in your pride and say well I can't tell the provider that I'm, I'm struggling with this. I'm just going to not my head and kind of follow what he or she is saying and then we'll figure it out as we go along.

No. Tell them if you're homeless, tell them if you're struggling, tell them if you have some mental health issues, tell them if you're worried about the cost because you don't have insurance. The more information you give them, the more they can work with you.