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Ryan White Program

Frequently Asked Questions

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You may have questions about the Ryan White Program and the services available to you as a program participant. Whether you are seeking program eligibility, interested in scheduling an appointment or looking for additional support and resources, our listing of frequently asked questions can help answer many concerns.

The Emory Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program provides comprehensive HIV primary care and support services to help people living with HIV achieve viral suppression, good health, and quality of life.

Appointments and Scheduling
  • For your first appointment, bring a copy of a photo ID, your insurance card, proof of address, proof of income, and a list of current medications and health questions (if applicable) for your care team. You should also bring any health-related intake forms that you can print off (so you have less paperwork to do when you arrive).
  • Returning patients should also bring a copy of a photo ID, insurance card, proof of address and proof of income. If you have changed your address or you have lost or changed insurance, you must update your patient portal within 10 days of these changes and bring related documentation to your next appointment.
     
  • Regular business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Currently, the clinic is not open on weekends. However, we have extended hours of operations on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and extended hours on Wednesday and Thursday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last appointment on Monday is at 6:20 pm and the last appointment on Wednesday and Thursday is at 4:20 p.m.

  • Yes, all office visits must be scheduled. We do not allow walk-ins. Visits with a nurse can be scheduled as follows:

    • Monday: 1 pm – 3 pm
    • Tuesday: 9 am – 11 am
    • Wednesday: N/A 
    • Thursday: 1 pm – 3 pm
    • Friday: 1 pm – 3 pm
  • You can schedule an appointment using Emory’s patient portal or by calling: 404-686-8114, select option 1.
     
  • You should aim to arrive 15 minutes before your appointment to allow time for parking and checking in.
     
  • Contact the clinic as soon as possible if you know you are going to be late. Being more than 15 minutes late to your appointment without contacting the clinic will result in a $25 charge.
  • Arriving more than 15 minutes late is considered missing an appointment. If you miss an appointment, please contact the clinic as soon as possible to reschedule. Please remember, you will be charged $25 for missing an appointment.
  • You can cancel your appointment by calling the main clinic number at 404-686-8114 and choosing option 1. You should plan to call at least 24 hours before the scheduled time to avoid the $25 missed-appointment fee.
  • Appointments must be canceled no later than 4 hours prior to your appointment time. Call the main clinic number at 404-686-8114 and select option 1.
Clinic Services
  • It is easiest to get your blood work done right after your appointment, but sometimes your doctor may need to see your blood work in between visits. The lab is located at 550 Peachtree Street on the 8th Floor. You must sign in at the kiosk. Laboratory hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. You can also go to any Emory lab and have your blood work completed.
     
  • The Ryan White Program offers nutrition services to patients. Our nutritionist can work with you to build healthy eating habits. We also offer a cooking course called Cooking Matters for eligible patients. If you’d like to enroll or schedule an appointment, talk to your social worker for a referral.
     
  • The Ryan White Program offers peer support groups and psychiatric and mental health counseling services. You can also talk to your HIV care provider to connect you to these services.
  • Your peer navigator can be reached by phone or by email. Eric Thompson can be reached by email or 404-617-4522.
  • Your social worker is your main point of contact for many services. You can reach your social worker by phone, email, or through your Patient Portal. If you do not know your social worker’s name, please call the main clinic number at 404-686-8114 and choose option 3.

    Please allow two to eight hours to receive a return call from the social work team.

  • You can talk with your doctor through your Patient Portal or call the office if you have questions. Messages will be addressed by the clinic care team between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Most messages will be answered within a two-hour timeframe, but some messages may take a little longer depending on the complexity of the medical issue.

    If you are experiencing the following conditions, please call 404-686-8114 to be evaluated as soon as possible because they are of special concern.

    • You are experiencing a rash
    • You are at the pharmacy and you do not have any more refills
    • You are at the lab and there are no lab orders

    If you are not feeling well and it is between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, please call the clinic at 404-686-8114 and press Option 2 to speak with a nurse.

    If you are not feeling well and it’s after business hours please call 404-686-8114 and you will be connected to an after-hours doctor.

  • You can request a refill through your Patient Portal online. You can also dial the main clinic number at 404-686-8114 and choose option 2.

    Please allow up to eight hours from the initial call for the request to be completed.
Ryan White Program Services

  • Patients must contact their social worker to confirm if they are eligible. In order to receive services funded through Ryan White, patients must meet eligibility requirements, including:

    • A positive HIV test
    • Income less than 400% of the federal poverty level
    • Enrollment in primary medical care at the midtown ID clinic and scheduling a doctor’s appointment every six months
    • Residency within the 20-county Eligible Atlanta-metro area. The Atlanta EMA includes the following counties: Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton
    • Completed consent form (your social worker will assist you with this)

  • Yes, it is possible to become ineligible for the program, so it is important to recertify your eligibility every 12 months with your social worker. This is a simple process, and your social worker will help you to complete it.

    To recertify, you must contact your social worker and confirm the following:

    • Appointments with an HIV provider at the Emory Infectious Disease clinic every six months
    • Income less than 400% of Federal poverty level
    • Residency within the service area: The Atlanta EMA includes the following counties: Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton
    • Proof of insurance or a statement indicating you are uninsured

  • Many types of services are covered for program participants at no cost. Some of these include:

    • Lab services, medication co-payments, and medical insurance premiums
    • Specialty care including eye care and glasses, oral and dental services, mental health services. Note: these services are by referral only.
    • Outpatient medical procedures such as imaging (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs), colonoscopies, endoscopy etc.
    • Medical transportation (MARTA passes, parking, taxis)
    • Temporary food assistance, including cafeteria passes and grocery vouchers
    • Utility assistance
    • Social Service referrals

  • Dental services are by REFERRAL ONLY. Your medical HIV provider must refer dental services. Dental services include annual teeth cleanings, certain types of dentures, X-rays, scaling fillings, basic crowns, root canal work and specific other procedures. Dental services NOT covered include cosmetic dentistry, implants, veneers, bridge work, teeth whitening and other non-medically necessary services. You should discuss your dental needs with your doctor and they will start the referral process. Our RW program oral health coordinator will contact you to assist you through the process.

    This process may take a couple of weeks to complete, so if you are experiences any pain in your mouth, please tell your doctor as soon as possible.

  • Ryan White offers a number of nutritional services including one-on-one nutritional counseling, a cooking class series, and food assistance. Please contact your social worker for more information and to be referred for these services.
  • Yes. RW offers assistance with parking for self-parking in the hospital garage. There is valet parking available at 550 Peachtree Street NE or you can use metered parking on surrounding streets. The Ryan White Program does not assist with valet parking or meter parking.
  • Yes, reimbursement for public transportation is available. If your social worker and nurse know you use MARTA you will receive MARTA assistance at the end of your appointment.
  • Yes. While the Ryan White Program does not directly offer housing, our peer team and social workers can help you by making referrals to assistance programs if your housing situation changes. Contact your peer navigator or social worker if this situation applies to you.
  • Yes. Ryan White is proud to offer short-term food assistance and referrals to local food pantries for long-term assistance. Contact your Social worker if you need assistance.
  • Yes. Ryan White offers assistance to pay for your medications. You will need to contact your social worker for further assistance for medication co-pay assistance.
  • The Ryan White Program offers Medication Adherence Counseling that can make it easier to keep up with your medication needs. Don’t worry if you are experiencing issues managing your medication – this happens, and you are not alone. Contact your social worker to find out more. If you need assistance with pill boxes, you can either send a message through the patient portal or call the office on 404-686-8114 and leave a message for the nurses. They will call you back to arrange a nurse visit.

  • Ryan White has both a men and women’s support group.

    The Men’s Support Group meets the second Wednesday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, contact Eric Thompson by email or by phone: 404-617-4522.

    The Women’s Support Group meets every third Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, contact Dina Delva by email or by phone: 470-345-7397.

  • The Consumer Advisory Board, commonly referred to as CAB, is a board made up of current Emory University Hospital Midtown clinic Ryan White program participants who are passionate about improving services for all Ryan White patients. For more information, contact Ritanza Abron by email or phone: 404-548-1591 or Magdelene Yonker by email or phone: 404-616-9793.
I Am Not Feeling Well...

  • During Normal Business Hours:

    If you are not feeling well and it is between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, please call the clinic at 404-686-8114 and press Option 2 to speak with a nurse. The nurse on call will speak with you about your health and determine what actions need to be taken. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19, you should schedule a COVID test at one of the many COVID testing centers such as CVS, Walgreens or places listed on the Department of Health website.

    Medical Emergency

    Patients sometimes get sick between regular appointments, even when they get the best medical care available.

    If you are experiencing the following conditions at any time during the day or night, please call 911 to be evaluated as soon as possible because they are of special concern.

    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Fever that is uncontrolled with Tylenol
    • Seizures or loss of consciousness
    • Extreme headache
    • Uncontrollable vomiting or diarrhea
    After Normal Business Hours:

    If you are not feeling well and it’s after business hours please call 404-686-8114 and you will be connected to and after-hours doctor.

    If for any reason you cannot reach the person providing coverage, you should go to Emory Hospital Midtown Emergency Department located at 550. Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA.

    General HIV/AIDS Wellness Resources