Message from the Division Chief
The WVU Department of Medicine Infectious Diseases Division is a multidisciplinary team of physicians, APPs, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care professionals who are passionate about delivering exceptional infectious diseases care for the people of West Virginia, the surrounding states, and around the globe. As the largest group of infectious diseases providers in the state, we are proud to lead the way with innovative programs, education, and research.
Our Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) and Complex Outpatient Antimicrobial Therapy (COpAT) Programs serve as role models for the development of similar programs at other institutions nationally. The strong collaboration between ID pharmacy and ID physicians allows us to safely monitor patients discharged on both IV and oral antimicrobial regimens in our rural state.
Our Positive Health Clinic delivers primary and HIV care for over 500 patients at WVU and Shenandoah Valley Medical System. With innovative programs like our Rapid Start Program, we ensure that patients are started on anti-retroviral therapy quickly. Our Positive Health Clinic is proud to have a 95% patient retention rate and >90% of patients who are undetectable. Our Hepatitis C clinic meets patients where they are, providing both virtual and in-person visits for treatment of hepatitis C.
WVU prides itself in our Global Health Program providing medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty opportunities to participate in Global Health trips around the world. Our Clinical Tropical Medicine and Travelers’ Health Course at WVU is one of only eight such programs in the United States.
Our Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program provides exceptional training for two ID fellows each year including 1 combined ID/Critical Care spot. In fellowship, trainees gain clinical experience caring for a wide variety of infectious diseases in both the hospital and clinic settings. Our ID fellows present research projects at local, state, and national meetings. Fellows may pursue specific areas of interest including global health, infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, musculoskeletal infections, tele-health, and critical care.
WVU Medicine’s growing health care system affords opportunities for expansion of services like tele-ID as well as antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention.
Our division remains committed to being leaders in patient care, education, and research. We are excited to grow our many programs and develop new ones.
Sincerely,
Allison Lastinger, M.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and Department of Orthopaedics, West Virginia University
Division Chief, Infectious Diseases
Medical Director, Musculoskeletal Infection Program
