Screening should be voluntary and undertaken only with the patient's knowledge and understanding that HIV testing is planned |
Patients should be informed verbally or in writing that HIV testing will be performed unless they decline (opt-out screening). Verbal or written information should include an explanation of HIV infection and the meanings of positive and negative test results, and the patient should be offered an opportunity to ask questions and to decline testing. With such notification, consent for HIV screening should be incorporated into the patient's general informed consent for medical care on the same basis as are other screening or diagnostic tests; a separate consent form for HIV testing is not recommended |
Easily understood informational materials should be made available in the languages of the commonly encountered populations within the service area. The competence of interpreters and bilingual staff to provide language assistance to patients with limited English proficiency must be ensured |
If a patient declines an HIV test, the decision should be documented in the medical record |
Screening should be voluntary and undertaken only with the patient's knowledge and understanding that HIV testing is planned |
Patients should be informed verbally or in writing that HIV testing will be performed unless they decline (opt-out screening). Verbal or written information should include an explanation of HIV infection and the meanings of positive and negative test results, and the patient should be offered an opportunity to ask questions and to decline testing. With such notification, consent for HIV screening should be incorporated into the patient's general informed consent for medical care on the same basis as are other screening or diagnostic tests; a separate consent form for HIV testing is not recommended |
Easily understood informational materials should be made available in the languages of the commonly encountered populations within the service area. The competence of interpreters and bilingual staff to provide language assistance to patients with limited English proficiency must be ensured |
If a patient declines an HIV test, the decision should be documented in the medical record |
Data source: Branson BM, Handsfield HH, Lampe MA, et al; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2006;55(RR-14):1–17.4