The CDC awarded University of Florida Health Science Center-Jacksonville a $2.2 million grant to research how telemedicine might improve HIV care for patients in urban areas.
Under the grant, patients being treated by UF Health physicians will have the option to continue their visits in-person in northeast Florida or via video consultation. The goal of the telemedicine program is to help patients who live farther away save time and cost associated with travel.
"Jacksonville is one of the largest cities in land mass, so at times it can be challenging for some of our patients who use public transportation to get to one of our clinics," said Reetu Grewal, MD, an assistant professor of community health and family medicine at the UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville who is leading project.
The project builds off research that concluded a similar telemedicine model proved effective in rural settings. The three-year, grant-funded study will be administered through the UF Center for HIV/AIDS Research, Education and Service and UF Health primary care practices that predominantly serve minority patients with HIV.