I AM AT APO.
MAP OF YOU KNOW THAT AS AIDS
PROJECT OF THE OZARKS.
BUT IT'S MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
I HAVE LYNN WITH ME.
SHE'S GOING TO FILL US IN ON THE
DETAILS.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
Guest: GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOM.
ALWAYS A PLEASURE.
Tom: FIRST OF ALL, APO, AIDS
PROJECT OF THE OZARKS.
BUT YOU'RE KIND OF CHANGING THE
FOCUS BECAUSE IT'S A LOT MORE
THAN THE WORD AIDS.
Guest: WE'RE NOW PROVIDING
PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE TO WHOMEVER
NEEDS IT.
PERSON DOES NOT NEED TO HAVE HIV
AS A DIAGNOSIS.
WE'RE CONTINUE TO GO PROVIDE THE
GREAT CARE FOR HIV-POSITIVE
FOLKS WE ALWAYS HAVE AND
PREVENTION AND HIV TESTING AND
OTHER STDs.
AND JUST FOLKS WHO NEED A
DOCTOR.
Tom: HOW SOON CAN YOU SEE A
DOCTOR?
HOW QUICKLY CAN YOU HELP PEOPLE
HERE?
WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A
PROGRAM, WHERE IF I WERE TO COME
IN TODAY AND GET TESTED AND I
TEST POSITIVE, I WILL WALK DOWN
THE HALL TO SEE ONE OF OUR
MEDICAL PROVIDERS TODAY.
IS THAT GROVE PHARMACY IS A
COMPOUNDING PHARMACY.
SO THEY CAN GET DOWN TO THE
NITTY-GRITTY.
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO
WHATEVER WE NEED.
AND THE MEDS FOR HIV, ARE
STANDARD AS FAR AS WE KNOW WHAT
THOSE ARE.
GROVE HAS THOSE ON HAND.
IF SOMEONE IS DIAGNOSED AT THE
HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR SOME OTHER
TESTING SITE AND THEY WANT TO
GET INTO TREATMENT AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE, WE WILL MAKE THAT
HAPPEN.
Tom: TALK TO ME ABOUT
Guest: YES, THERE HAVE BEEN
SO MANY MEDICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF HIV AND AIDS.
IT'S NO LONGER THE DEATH
SENTENCE THAT IT USED TO BE.
RESEARCH SHOWS IF I'M ON
MEDICATIONS FOR HIV AND I'M
TAKING MY MEDICATIONS EVERY DAY,
I CANNOT -- AND MY VIRAL LOAD
Guest: THAT'S WHAT CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL SAYS AND
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
SAYS AND HIV GUIDELINES SAY.
NOT ONLY AM I GOING TO STAY
HEALTHIER, I'M NOT GOING TO
PRESENT A RISK TO FOLKS I'M
INVOLVED WITH.
I CANNOT PASS THE VIRUS ONTO
SOMEONE ELSE IF MY VIRAL LOAD IS
UNDETECTABLE.
Guest: THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
PROGRAMS THAT I CAN SAY WITH
CONFIDENCE, WE'RE THE ONLY ONES
DOING THAT IN THE STATE.
PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE'RE
NOT PART OF A LARGER SYSTEM.
WE'RE FREE-STANDING.
ALL THE DECISIONS ARE MADE HERE
IN THIS BUILDING ABOUT TREATMENT
BY OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND
OTHER STAFF.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR
SOMEBODY FROM THE BIGGER CITY OR
FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE TO TELL
US IT'S OKAY TO DO SOMETHING:
WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION IN
THE HALLWAY, AND THAT'S HOW OUR
TEST AND TREAT PROGRAM GOT
STARTED.
INFORMATION IS HELD IN THE
STRICTIST CONFIDENCE.
A FEW YEARS AGO THEY'VE STARTED
TALKING ABOUT HIPAA.
WE WERE STUNNED THAT WASN'T THE
NORM.
WE HAVE ALWAYS REGARDED
SOMEBODY'S MEDICAL STATUS AS
PRIVATE BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR
PROVIDER.
Tom: TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
SERVICES LIKE THIS AND PROGRAMS
LIKE THIS, YOU DO HAVE
FUNDRAISER.
I KNOW THERE'S A VERY IMPORTANT
ONE COMING UP.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
Guest: WE DO.
IT'S OUR 16th ANNUAL RED RIBBON
RIDE.
AND THIS I'VE BEEN TOLD TO
SPECIFY SO PEOPLE DON'T BRING
THEIR MOTORCYCLES.
IT'S A BICYCLE EVENT.
Tom: A GOOD IDEA.
WE'VE GOT 50-MILE, 16-MILE,
30-MILE, 35-MILE, AND 7-MILE
RIDES.
Tom: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.
Guest: YES.
AND WE ALSO HAVE AN ENJOYABLE
GATHERING AFTERWARDS ON REPUBLIC
ROAD AT GALLOWAY.
THE RIDE TAKES OFF AT 8:00 A.M.
WE HAVE AN ENJOYABLE PARTY
AFTERWARDS AT GALLOWAY STATION.
Tom: IT WILL BE A
CELEBRATION.
Guest: YES.
Tom: WHEN IS THIS THEN?
Guest: MAY 18th.
Tom: PEOPLE WANT MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE RIDE OR
ABOUT ALL THE SERVICES THAT YOU
HAVE TO OFFER, HOW DO THEY GET
IT?
Guest: FOR THE RIDE,
www.ozarksredribbonride.org.
AND FOR THE REST OF APO, YOU GO
TO www.apo-ozarks.org.