Background:
The CDC recommends integrating HIV testing into routine care. When non-rapid HIV testing was used, 35% of patients did not receive their results. The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) funds HIV counseling and rapid testing at nine STD clinics.

Objective:
To integrate rapid HIV testing into STD clinics as part of their routine care and to assure that patients receive their test results.

Method:
Staff completed counseling training, rapid testing training, competency testing and passed proficiency testing. All sites had an NJDHSS rapid testing laboratory license. Data were collected using the CDC form. Data analysis was done using SAS (version 8.02, SAS Institute, Cary, NC) and Microsoft Access (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA).

Result:
Rapid testing is available at nine STD clinics in seven New Jersey counties. From May 1, 2004 through September 15, 2005, 1,964 tests have been done, with 1,954 (99.5%) receiving posttest counseling and results. Eleven of the 1,964 (0.6%) patients tested positive and 1,953 (99.5%) negative. Nine of the 11 (81.8%) persons testing positive were newly identified as infected. Of those tested 1,121 (57%) were male and 843 (43%) female. Of those testing positive: 8 were male (6 of whom were newly identified as positive), 3 were female (all of whom were newly identified as positive), 11 were black, 2 were 20-29 years of age, 3 were 30-39 years of age, 4 were 40-49 years of age, and 2 were 50 years of age or older.

Conclusion:
Rapid testing markedly improved the proportion of patients receiving results and provided the initial diagnosis for almost all of those testing positive.

Implications:
Rapid HIV testing can be successfully integrated into STD clinics.