How to find an HIV-competent healthcare provider, according to advocates

Finding the right treatment protocol when you’re newly diagnosed with HIV almost always begins with finding the right healthcare provider and care team. While there have been numerous advancements in HIV prevention and treatment in the last few decades, it’s crucial to find a healthcare team that understands the nuances of your diagnosis as well as what’s available to you. In this episode of The Talk, advocates shared their insights on the path to finding a doctor who’s right to guide you through your treatment journey.

“Finding the right fit in healthcare, I don’t think is something we talk enough about,” Tony Morrison, a media strategist and HIV advocate, says. “Your provider should feel like family. If they don’t, it’s time to look for a new provider, and that’s ok.”

Sometimes, finding the right provider can mean trying out a few before landing on the best fit for you. Jose Barrientos, a social worker and HIV advocate, shares that he tried out many doctors before figuring out how to advocate for himself in a medical setting.

“When going into an office setting, I — a lot of times — wasn’t comfortable or prepared enough because it still was intimidating,” Barrientos says. “Just ask as many questions as possible. There are no stupid questions. This is your life, this is your care, and these people are here to serve you.”

For Ivy Kwan Arce, an artist and HIV activist, looking for a healthcare facility that already serves patients with HIV is crucial to locating a doctor who can help.

Related: Newly diagnosed with HIV? Advocates share their best advice for seeking treatment

“Last year, I went to a new [obstetrician] because mine retired,” Arce says. “She had never heard of U=U, so that was very disturbing. My advice is you need to find a clinic that’s basically you’re in a safe space and there’s updated treatments, so you have nothing to worry about.”

Dancer and HIV advocate Déshaun Armbrister says that a relationship with your healthcare provider is much like any relationship: you need to make sure that you’re compatible. If you sense any level of judgment from a new doctor or medical practitioner as opposed to feeling supported and guided through your options, it’s time to move on.

“HIV is not the end game, so that is one of the many parts of your sexual health that you want to maintain,” Armbrister says. “Any type of feelings of negativity or any type of feelings of judgment, that’s something that you want to avoid from your provider. The whole point is to make sure that you’re having the best care.”