Steering Committee Planning

The first step of the planning process was the formation of a Steering (Executive) Committee which provided oversight for the development of the AIDS Center Of Excellence model. This committee consisted of representatives from the Department Of Health, Bureau Of TennCare, Managed Care Organizations, provider community as well as TennCare consumers who are living with HIV/AIDS.

Initially, a letter of invitation was sent to the Director of the Bureau of TennCare, the chief executive officer of each of the TennCare Managed Care Organizations, the major providers of services to HIV/AIDS patients, and the directors of all HIV/AIDS service delivery agencies encouraging them to attend an organizational meeting to discuss the establishment of the Steering Committee. Issues such as the size, composition and responsibilities of the Steering Committee, as well as its operating procedures, meeting schedule, and leadership were discussed. Consumer group representatives in attendance were asked to develop a process to identify and appoint interested TennCare enrollees to the Steering Committee.

Once the Steering Committee was established, subcommittees were formed to address major issues including the development of treatment protocols. Although many Steering Committee members were involved in subcommittee activities, subcommittee participation was not limited to members of the Steering Committee. The subcommittees developed were

	Protocol
	Data Management/Evaluation
	Community Liaison
	Centers Of Excellence committee

Structure

The AIDS Centers Of Excellence concept was developed through a collaborative process involving providers, public health and TennCare staff, MCO representatives, consumers and advocates. It consists of a coordinated  network of clinics and private practices across the state which provide a comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS treatment.

The concept developed as a result of the FDA approval of protease inhibitors in 1996. It was soon apparent that if the medical care of patients  receiving these drugs was not managed correctly then the patient suffered by not having their care managed by experts in HIV/AIDS treatment. Consequently, the health care systems resources were drained due to the high cost of the drugs used for treatment.