HIV Care
Comprehensive HIV Care & Treatment
Living with HIV today means living well.
- Therapy
- Antiretroviral (ART)
- Monitoring
- Every 3–6 months
- Goal
- Undetectable = Untransmittable
HIV basics
Care and support for every part of the journey
At PHC, we provide compassionate, confidential services for people newly diagnosed or already in treatment. Our team offers state-of-the-art antiretroviral therapy (ART), regular health monitoring, and personalized care plans to help you stay healthy, achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load, and prevent HIV transmission. From medical management to mental-health and community resources, we’re here to support every aspect of your journey.
Know the facts
HIV Basics
Five things worth knowing whether you are newly diagnosed, in treatment, or supporting someone who is.
Clinical HIV care
Treatment that saves lives
Why starting antiretroviral therapy early, and staying on it, changes the whole picture.
Undetectable = Untransmittable
The risk
HIV weakens the immune system by targeting CD4 T cells, making individuals vulnerable to opportunistic infections and certain cancers.
The response
Prompt initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and maintaining adherence can ensure a long and healthy life.
The result
Effective ART suppresses the viral load to undetectable levels, enabling the immune system to recover and eliminating the risk of sexual HIV transmission.
What to expect
What to expect in clinical HIV care
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01
Rapid ART start
Treatment is initiated as soon as HIV is diagnosed, regardless of CD4 count, to improve outcomes and reduce transmission risk.
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02
Initial work-up
Baseline labs include viral load, CD4 count, kidney & liver function, and tests for other infections (hepatitis, STIs).
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03
Regular monitoring
Viral load and CD4 tests every 1–3 months until suppression is achieved, then every 3–6 months to confirm ongoing control.
Screen for side effects, adverse drug interactions, and manage comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, and mental health concerns.
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04
Opportunistic infection (OI) prevention
Prophylaxis for OIs (e.g., PCP, TB) is provided if CD4 counts drop below thresholds and stopped once the immune system recovers.
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05
Holistic care approach
HIV treatment includes behavioral health, substance use counseling, nutrition, and reproductive health support.
Shared decision making ensures treatment aligns with patient lifestyle, values, and goals.
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06
Long term management
Ongoing care focuses on health screening: heart disease, bone density, cancer, dental health, and overall wellness.
Care is completely integrated: patients remain connected with trusted providers and community resources.
HIV treatment options
Daily pills or long-acting injections
Oral ART regimens
Standard treatment mixes three or more antiretroviral drugs across two or more classes, such as integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs), nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), or protease inhibitors, often in a single daily pill format.
Common regimens include
- Biktarvy® (bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide) A widely used as first-line therapy due to its efficacy, tolerability, and simplicity.
- Dovato® (dolutegravir/lamivudine) One of the first FDA-approved 2-drug regimens for treatment-naïve patients.
- Genvoya® (elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide) Contains cobicistat, a “booster” that enhances drug levels of elvitegravir.
- Descovy® + Tivicay® (emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide + dolutegravir) Descovy is also used as a PrEP option for men and transgender women.
- Odefsey® (rilpivirine/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide) Must be taken with a meal of at least 400 calories for proper absorption.
Long-acting injectable ART
For patients needing alternatives to daily pills, injectables can help improve adherence and simplify care for those facing pill fatigue or adherence challenges.
Common regimens include
- Cabenuva® (cabotegravir + rilpivirine) Given as intramuscular injections every 2 months, it’s the first complete long-acting regimen for HIV treatment.
- Sunlenca® (lenacapavir) An injectable option administered every 6 months for heavily treatment-experienced patients.
- 01 Immune restoration — evidenced by rising CD4 counts, that leads to reduction in risk of OIs and cancer.
- 02 Viral suppression — to ideal undetectable levels (< 200 copies/mL) leading to an effective normal life expectancy.
- 03 Prevention of HIV transmission — both sexually and to newborns, through treatment as prevention and U=U.
- 04 Enhanced quality of life — mental, emotional, and social well-being reinforced by psychosocial support.
Scheduling
Book an appointment with PHC Health & Wellness
We are now accepting new patients across our clinics.
St. Petersburg
Our largest clinic and the full care team, offering primary care, HIV care and prevention, hormone therapy and medically supervised weight management.
Dade City
Our Pasco County clinic, where Lorayne Shafer, APRN leads primary care, HIV care and prevention for patients across the county.
Wilton Manors
Our South Florida clinic on Wilton Drive, where Dr. Blaisdell and the Broward team provide primary care, HIV care and prevention.