Routine, rapid HIV testing of medicine service admissions in the emergency department.

Objective: We identify undiagnosed HIV among adult emergency department (ED) patients awaiting medicine admission through rapid testing, expedite their redirection to the inpatient HIV service, and improve linkage to ambulatory HIV care.

Methods: Two ED health educators offered rapid testing to patients aged 18 to 64 years from the high-acuity ED area from which most medicine admissions originate. Heath educators obtained consent, obtained fingerstick blood, and performed point-of-care testing.