Staying in the Tent: Why Infectious Disease Physicians Remain Essential to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Primary Care

Since the beginning of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in the United States, infectious disease (ID) specialists have provided HIV and primary care for people with HIV. As patients often now have controlled HIV but increasing comorbidities, some advocate that ID specialists shift away from HIV primary care. However, shortages of primary care providers and non-ID-trained HIV providers mean ID specialists stepping back could leave patients without care. In addition, many patients p