Email 41: Choosing the Best Hub ~ Living with HIV in the Philippines

Email 41: Choosing the Best Hub

Posted by Pozziepinoy on 5:33 PM

"Hi Pozziepinoy,

I and my bf got really inspired by your blog. I brought him here with me in XXX unfortunately he had to go back home because he was diagnosed with HIV Ag/Ab.

Pozziepinoy, my bf really feels so down which I know is normal as for he is new to this world.

He will be back on Tuesday and does not know what to do first. We both live in XXX City (city in the north). What hospital is the best choice with HIV patients?

Can we also have your no. please he wanted to talk to you as well he knows you can enlighten him?

Thank you Pozziepinoy for educating us and for giving us light in what we thought is a dead end to our lives.

God Bless Pozziepinoy!

XXX"

POZZIEPINOY’S REPLY

XXX,

Hi. Thank you for reading my blog. I am so glad that I can inspire others through it. It is my journal of my researches and my personal experiences and I am so happy that by writing I am able to educate other people too.

Regarding your question about the best hospital for HIV. Like what I tell everybody in my previous blog, there is no best treatment hub because every HIV/AIDS treatment hub has the same purpose which is to help those who are in need. The treatment hub is very important during the first month of screening and the first month of treatment so please choose wisely.

Three important things that you need to consider when you choose a treatment hub:

A. Proximity and Accessibility to you.

I would opt for a treatment hub that is closer to you so there won’t be a problem with accessibility. This is important especially when your infectious disease doctor wants you to frequently visit the hub for a series of lab tests. Some pozzies need to return the following days to get the results of the labs, the CD4 or the VL.

Accessibility is a great factor when taking ARV’s especially when there are side effects. Your doctor will give recommendations if you need to change your ARV’s. Your doctor might also refer you to another specialist for other problems.

B. Financial Resources

You can choose between a private or a government treatment hub. If you can afford to pay for the medical expenses for all the labs and treatment, then I would recommend you to go to a private hospital.

1. Private Hospital:

Benefits:

1. Better and cleaner facilities

2. More discreet

3. You have your own private doctor and clinic hours for consultation

Disadvantages:

1. Doctors may have less experience with HIV/AIDS cases

2. Expensive costs of labs, treatment and consultation

3. There’s a handling fee per bottle of ARV’s

2. . Private Vs. Government Treatment Hubs

Benefits:

1. FREE doctors consultation, lab tests (some hubs), CD4 (some hubs)

2. Great expertise of doctors with HIV/AIDS cases

3. FREE ARV’s, and some prophylaxis for OI’s

Disadvantages

1. Overcrowded clinics

2. Facilities are not new and not up to date

C. Foot Traffic

This pertains to the number of patients a day that a treatment hub can accommodate. Of course you don’t want to be the last person to be served every time you would be late in going to the hub or because there is a long line. Of course, you don’t want a crowded hub because we all have immune system problems and we don’t want to be ill while waiting for our turn.

D. Availability of ARV’s

You have to make sure that the hub can provide ample and regular supply of ARV’s. You don’t want to keep on coming back to the hub for a refill every time they can’t provide you on a regular basis.

E. Facilities

Make sure that the treatment serves as a one stop shop for you. A good hub has complete facilities for HIV lab tests and treatment. A good hub should be able to release the results of lab tests in the fastest time so you can be given the fastest recommendations by your doctor.

F. Availability and Expertise of Staff

The hub should also have a ample supply of doctors, nurses, counselors, PhilHealth personnel and social workers who can attend to the great amount of patients that the hub has. The hub should have credible staff who can make fast decisions with every HIV/AIDS cases that they handle.

Even though my current hub RITM-ARG has served me well, I would still consider everything that I discussed above.

You can also try to read my other blog entries about making the right decision on your hub:

1. The PhilHealth Package (Check the listed hubs that are supported by PhilHealth)

2. How To Go To RITM-ARG
3. CD4 & VL Fees
4. The Medical City's I-React
5. PGH-SAGIP Rates
6. Your Hub

I hope I was able to enlighten you in making the right decisions about the different hubs in the country. Please email me again if you have any other questions.

Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy