CAMDEN — Lourdes Health System now offers HIV tests that deliver results in under one minute, the hospital said.
The testing kit, called INSTI, detects HIV with over 99 percent accuracy. It is manufactured by BioLytical Laboratories.
The previous HIV test offered at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center on Haddon Avenue took 20 minutes to administer results. Some patients became anxious during the wait, said Dr. Kira Berstecher, director of the HIV program at Our Lady of Lourdes.
“The INSTI test allows us to reduce patient anxiety and start a treatment plan in a fraction of the time we could before,” Berstecher said. “We can also test more patients in a day, allowing more patients access to care.”
In most cases, the test will respond to an infection within 25 to 30 days from exposure. Patients who test positive for HIV will require additional testing to determine the best course of treatment. The second test may be scheduled for the same or next business day, and results are delivered in 10 minutes.
For both tests, a blood sample is taken by finger prick.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that anyone over age 13 get tested for HIV at least once a year as part of routine care.
Lourdes offers free HIV counseling and testing every day from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Camden facility. For more information, call 856-668-8232.
Source: Burlington County Times