Opt-Out HIV Testing in Emergency Departments: Too Little, Too Late

In 2006, the CDC recommended that routine, opt-out HIV testing be conducted in all healthcare settings, including emergency departments (EDs). However, little research has been done to evaluate the results of this recommendation. Researchers now compare the yield of routine, opt-out testing with that of physician-directed, targeted testing in a high-volume ED in Denver.

For 2 years, the ED alternated between these two rapid-testing approaches in sequential 4-month blocks. (Notably, during the opt-out periods, patients who opted out could still undergo physician-directed testing.) Each approach was completely integrated into the ED operations on a 24-hour basis, and no additional personnel were involved.

During the opt-out periods, 76% of more…