Promoting retention in care: an effective model in an antiretroviral treatment service in South Africa.

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Abstract
Tothe Editor—We read with interest the article by Giordano and colleagues [1] regarding the difficulties of retaining HIV-infected patients within care during antiretroviral therapy (ART) in US veterans affairs hospitals and clinics. Despite few financial barriers to treatment, retention in care was poor among a substantial portion of patients, compromising survival probability. The authors highlighted the critical need to develop and implement strategies to improve retention, thereby maximizing the benefits of ART [1]. In the accompanying editorial [2], Cheever described strategies that have been used successfully in other programs in the United States, whereby use of support services resulted in greater engagement of patients in their medical care and enhanced retention.