Infohiv: clinical informatics for optimizing HIV prevention and care

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded The University of Chicago $252,870 on September 16, 2025, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to support a patient-oriented research program on clinical informatics for HIV prevention and care.

The award funds two research aims focused on incorporating patient-reported data into clinical informatics tools. Aim 1 pilots the implementation of electronic patient-reported sexual health data into the electronic medical record to identify individuals who would benefit from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 2.0 to guide stakeholder interviews with patients and providers regarding implementation barriers and facilitators. Aim 2 builds on preliminary findings that relying on EMR data alone imperfectly predicts PrEP and HIV care continuum outcomes, and that incorporation of social drivers of health and patient-reported data is crucial to improving outcomes for people with HIV and individuals vulnerable to HIV.

The award supports an expanded mentorship program in patient-oriented HIV informatics, with the principal investigator working alongside mentees on the two specific aims. This work extends prior research under the Power Up R01, which utilized clinical informatics to improve PrEP uptake in community health clinic settings, and the ePortal HIV-S Study R01, which employed electronic patient portals in a population health approach to screening for substance use disorder among people with HIV.

The performance period runs through August 31, 2030, with work performed in Chicago, Illinois.

Abstract

My NIH-funded patient-oriented research program focuses on improving patient outcomes across the HIV prevention and care continua through implementation of clinical informatics interventions. For HIV prevention, i have developed and implemented electronic medical record (EMR)-based algorithms to identify patients eligible for pre-exposure prophylaxis (prep). I am currently PI for power up, an R01 that utilizes clinical informatics as part of an overarching implementation science strategy to improve prep uptake in community health clinic settings. I have developed clinical informatics tools to identify people with HIV (PWH) in need of resources to prevent them from falling out of care. I am currently PI of the eportal HIV-s study, an R01 utilizing electronic patient portals as part of a population health approach to screening for substance use disorder (SUD) among PWH. My preliminary research has shown that relying on EMR data alone is often imperfect for predicting prep and HIV care continuum outcomes, and that incorporation of social drivers of health and patient-reported data is crucial. However, additional research is needed to understand how to best incorporate patient reported data from individuals vulnerable to HIV and PWH into clinical informatics tools to improve prep and HIV care outcomes. I have a strong track record of mentoring junior faculty and trainees, and i am committed to expanding my mentorship program in patient-oriented HIV informatics. I will work with my mentees to carry out two specific aims. Aim 1: pilot the implementation of electronic patient-reported sexual health data into the EMR to identify individuals who would benefit from prep. Guided by the consolidated framework for implementation research (cfir) 2.0, we will interview key stakeholders, including both patients and providers/staff, regarding barriers and facilitators. We will then pilot the implementation of an electronic sexual health questionnaire, incorporating questionnaire results into an EMR-based algorithm to identify prep candidates. We will refine clinical decision support tools to guide providers to discuss and prescribe prep for patients identified by the algorithm. Aim 2: implement electronic patient portal-based screening for social needs among people with HIV. We will use cfir 2.0 as a framework as we interview key stakeholders about barriers and facilitators to population health portal-based social needs screening among PWH. Based on these results, we will then incorporate social needs screening into the population health portal-based SUD screening program among PWH. Evaluation will be performed using the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-aim) framework. These aims will be integrated into my existing research program, including my two current R01S. This K24 award will provide the opportunity and infrastructure to build and expand my mentorship program in patient-oriented HIV-related clinical informatics research and address current gaps in clinical informatics interventions for HIV prevention and care.