Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
The provider desk at the Evelyn Jordan Center in the University of Maryland Medical System is the control center for communications and coordination of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patient care. Assistant Professor and clinical pharmacist Neha Sheth, PharmD, has the tough job of counseling patients on adherence to an often complex regimen of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. A patient’s failure to adhere to their ARV treatment may have serious and unavoidable immunological and virologic consequences, including drug resistance. Side-effect management is another significant challenge for patients on ARV therapy, an area which benefits from pharmacist care. Between patient encounters, Sheth checks in at the provider desk, offers up-to-the-moment status reports to team members, monitors viral loads and checks drug absorption mechanisms for a medication regimen. Many HIV infected patients may be suffering from other medical problems including hepatitis, diabetes, substance abuse, opportunistic infections and mental health conditions requiring drug treatment. Sheth’s role at the clinic is described as Medication Therapy Management.