2023 PrEP Webinar Series: Oral and Injectable PrEP

In April – June of 2023, the IDTA@JSI team in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) hosted four online webinars on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) services. Participants in the webinar series included providers from agencies receiving funding from the MDPH Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences (BIDLS) to deliver infectious disease services. Session activities included presentations from guest subject matter experts and questions, and discussion opportunities. Video recordings and slide decks for each session are available to view and download below.

The topics for each session were:

Session 1: Understanding Injectable PrEP and Oral PrEP

Monday, April 17, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 PM

In this session, the IDTA@JSI team and Dr. Kevin Ard from the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center at The Fenway Institute provided an overview of the different benefits and challenges of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and injectable PrEP, related to eligibility, initiation, dosing schedule, administration, lead-in dosing, clinical effectiveness, laboratory test requirements, and side effects.

This session focused on increasing participants’ ability to:

  • Recall the PrEP continuum of care and the main barriers to oral PrEP uptake as described in IDTA@JSI’s 2021 PrEP Group Learning Series.
  • Identify oral and injectable PrEP as options for HIV prevention.
  • Explain the similarities and differences between oral and injectable PrEP, including eligibility, dosing schedule, laboratory test requirements, and other clinical considerations.

Session 1: Understanding Injectable PrEP and Oral PrEP slide deck

Session 2: PrEP Financing and Payment

Monday, May 8, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 PM

In this session, the IDTA@JSI team and representatives from AccessHealth MA and the Center For Health Law and Policy Innovation (CHLPI) at the Harvard Law School provided an overview of billing and reimbursement for oral and injectable PrEP, and how infectious disease service providers can incorporate these activities into current processes, according to MDPH policy. The session also covered strategies for addressing potential financial barriers that clients may face, such as lack of insurance coverage or absence of payment assistance for all PrEP-related services including appointments, labs, and prescriptions. Strategies include assisting clients with benefits enrollment, as well as accessing PrEP financial assistance programs.

This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to: 

  • Describe the PrEP billing and reimbursement policies for public and private insurers in Massachusetts as of May, 2023.
  • Apply strategies to support PrEP access and adherence for both insured and uninsured clients.
  • Identify the key PrEP financing and payment components that should be incorporated into HIV prevention program workflows.

Session 2: PrEP Financing and Payment slide deck

Additional Resources from Session 2: PrEP Financing and Payment

Session 3: PrEP Decision-Making: Client and Provider Communication

Monday, June 5, 2023, 3:00 – 4:30 PM

In this session, the IDTA@JSI team shared strategies for providers to support clients in identifying a PrEP option (oral or injectable) that’s right for them. IDTA@JSI shared sample messaging strategies and other considerations for providing education to clients about PrEP options. The session included a discussion of client-level, program-level, and population-level factors related to injectable and oral PrEP access and uptake, with an emphasis on specific populations such as people experiencing homelessness, refugees, commercial sex workers, transgender individuals, people who use substances, and women. IDTA@JSI emphasized the importance of engaging communities of color to promote equitable access to and increased PrEP uptake across demographic groups.

This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to :

  • Describe the client-level, program-level, and population-level factors that affect PrEP access and uptake.
  • Recall the key messages about oral and injectable PrEP that should be conveyed when providing client education on PrEP as an HIV prevention tool.
  • Apply client-centered messaging strategies to support clients in identifying a PrEP option that’s right for them.

Session 3: PrEP Decision-Making: Client and Provider Communication slide deck

Session 4: Integrating PrEP Into Clinical, Non-Clinical, and Inter-agency Workflows

Monday, June 26, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 PM

In this session, the IDTA@JSI team offered an overview of workflow considerations for providing oral and injectable PrEP. The session focused on how to integrate screening for PrEP eligibility, providing education on PrEP options, prescribing PrEP, and conducting PrEP follow-up into existing workflows or new workflows. For non-clinical agencies, speakers also shared strategies for partnering with clinical providers to facilitate client access to PrEP. The IDTA@JSI team introduced process mapping as a tool for reviewing and revising workflows and identifying key roles and staffing considerations for successful implementation.

This session aimed to increase participants’ ability to:

  • Describe the main workflow considerations for clinical agencies to provide PrEP to patients, including screening for PrEP eligibility, providing client education, prescribing PrEP, and conducting PrEP follow-up.
  • Describe strategies for non-clinical agencies to facilitate client access to PrEP.
  • Utilize process mapping as a tool to implement successful PrEP workflows in their agency.

Session 4: Integrating PrEP Into Clinical, Non-Clinical, and Inter-agency Workflows slide deck