Recent ARCW Media Releases

28 January 2010
Record Patient Growth at ARCW Medical Center:
New patients and total patients reach highest levels

Milwaukee — The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW) Medical Center continues to be Wisconsin’s largest and fastest-growing provider of HIV medical care. In 2009 the ARCW Medical Center enrolled 251 new HIV medical patients setting a record for new patients. Total medical patients receiving care reached 1,177 patients another record high number making the ARCW Medical Center the largest provider of HIV care and treatment in Wisconsin.

The increase represents unprecedented growth in the ARCW Medical Center patient census, averaging 21 new patients every month. While successfully managing the increase in patient census, ARCW is simultaneously implementing a unique HIV Quality Improvement Plan that establishes a rigorous focus on achieving national high quality indicators for HIV heath care.

“We are very proud that so many new patients are choosing the ARCW Medical Center for their care,” Doug Nelson, ARCW president and CEO, said. “Our patients tell us that it is not just the quantity of care they appreciate but also the quality of care they receive from our team of physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, dentists, dental hygienists and therapists.”

In addition to its medical clinic, the ARCW Medical Center also provides access to oral health care through the ARCW Dental Clinic and mental health services through the ARCW Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic. In 2009 the ARCW Dental Clinic provided care to 1,235 HIV patients and the Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic provided therapy to 328 HIV patients. In total the three clinics of the ARCW Medical Center had 11,961 clinic visits in 2009.

Despite the tremendous growth of patients, Director of Quality Assurance Tom Novak reported that the ARCW Medial Center performs above national quality benchmarks on several leading indicators. “By exceeding these quality benchmarks we know we are on the right track for achieving the highest quality of HIV care,” he said.

Novak also asserted that, “ARCW constantly monitors the quality of care we deliver to assure the most advanced treatment and a level of care that is worthy of the people we serve. The goal of our quality assurance plan is to help all our patients achieve undetectable viral load which is the most important quality indicator and the most important goal for people with HIV.”

Patients at the ARCW Medical Center also have access to a wide range of social services designed to make their health care as successful as possible. The integration of ARCW housing programs, legal services, food pantries and social work case management with the ARCW Medical Center helps patients overcome barriers to successful HIV treatment such as homelessness, poverty and poor nutrition.

“What is great for our patients is that all of their services are easily accessed right here at ARCW,” Nelson concluded.

ARCW is one of the nation’s most comprehensive AIDS service organizations providing HIV medical, dental and mental health care as well as legal services, housing and rent assistance, access to food pantries and social work case management to people with HIV in Wisconsin through offices in Appleton, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Kenosha, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Superior, and Wausau.