Advanced Practice Provider aims to break down barriers to HIV care and prevention through a patient-centered approach.
Philana Liang, a physician assistant in the Division of Infectious Diseases at WashU Medicine, has been elected to serve on the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) Board of Directors. HIVMA, which is part of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), is a community of nearly 6,000 health care professionals who advance a comprehensive and humane response to the HIV pandemic. Liang will begin her three-year term following IDWeek 2026 in October.
As a board member, Liang will help HIVMA work toward two main goals: increasing access to HIV care and prevention and supporting HIV health care providers.
We can overcome these barriers through improved training at multiple levels of the health work force and innovative strategies to meet patients where they are.
Philana Liang, PA-C, MPH
Along with being an Infectious Diseases APP, Liang is the Core Manager of the St. Louis STI/HIV Prevention Training Center (STL PTC). She said access is the primary issue when it comes to combatting HIV, affecting patients and providers. “We have the tools we need to effectively manage and prevent HIV and gain control of this pandemic. However, many barriers to these tools continue to exist. We can overcome these barriers through improved training at multiple levels of the health work force and innovative strategies to meet patients where they are,” Liang said.
Breaking down barriers to care has been a driving force in Liang’s work in HIV and STI care. “My approach is patient-centered care. What can we do to make accessing care less of a hassle for patients? How can we make seeking care more direct, more convenient, and less stigmatizing?” she said. Liang looks forward to working with a national team focused on improving access to HIV care and prevention.
To reach more patients who need care, Liang believes it is also important to support and grow the HIV workforce. Through HIVMA, she hopes to empower primary care providers, emergency departments, and OB/GYN to provide HIV care and prevention. She has already taken concrete steps toward that goal: Liang co-founded the National Consortium of Advanced Practice Providers in Sexual Health to position advanced practice providers for successful careers and leadership in HIV care.
Liang said she is prepared for significant advocacy work, including meeting with policy makers to talk about HIV care in the United States. “It’s been a challenging time, and we need elected officials to know that we can bring this epidemic under control with the right support,” she said.
IDWeek 2026 takes place October 21–24, in Washington, D.C.