Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42575677›Full record

ArticleGlobal health, science and practice2026

Feasibility, Affordability, Benefits, and Challenges of Transitioning to Virtual Case Management for PLHIV: Experiences From Indonesia and Nepal.

Elizabeth Costenbader, Shanthi Noriega Minichiello, Matthew Zinck, Kiran Bam, Bhagawan Shrestha, Caroline Francis, Benjamin Eveslage, Rick Homan

Abstract read
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Article in Global health, science and practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Elizabeth CostenbaderFHI 360, Washington, DC, USA. Now with Costenbader Collaborative Consulting, Washington, DC, USA.
Shanthi Noriega MinichielloFHI 360, Washington, DC, USA. Now with University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Matthew ZinckFHI 360, Durham, NC, USA. Now with Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Kiran BamFHI 360, Kathmandu, Nepal. Now with La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
Bhagawan ShresthaFHI 360 Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Caroline FrancisFHI 360 Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Benjamin EveslageFHI 360, Durham, NC, USA. beveslage@fhi360.org.
Rick HomanFHI 360, Durham, NC, USA. Now retired.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHIV case management supports people living with HIV to be linked to and retained in care. HIV case management becomes virtual case management (VCM) when some or all these services are provided via virtual tools or platforms including mobile phones, chat messenger apps, other mobile or web apps, and/or electronic case management systems. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use and expansion of virtual services, including health services, across the globe. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: These case studies document how HIV programs in Indonesia and Nepal transitioned from in-person case management to VCM during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As part of this transition, the program in Nepal implemented VCM in 37 districts that were providing services to 12,820 people living with HIV (PLHIV), and in Indonesia the program supported 18,244 PLHIV in 5 districts. Data on the transition from in-person support to VCM were collected on client clinical outcomes, costs of the virtual services, and case manager feedback.

resultsThese case studies indicate that VCM is a feasible and affordable approach to implement in low- and middle-income country contexts. Between March and September 2020, 10,995 (82.1%) and 3,801 (51.5%) PLHIV in Nepal and Indonesia, respectively, were supported by VCM. Continuity of care remained high in both countries with only 1%-2% interruptions in treatment. Viral load suppression also remained high in both countries (91%-92% in Indonesia and 94%-95% in Nepal). Viral load coverage, however, was low, but this was influenced by clinic and laboratory closures. Startup costs were low (<US$2,500), and the monthly cost per person to provide VCM was $2.34 in Nepal and $4.67 in Indonesia. Case manager feedback was focused on compensation, expanded reach of virtual services, gaps in client mobile phone ownership or digital literacy, efficiency of services, and confidentiality and privacy.

conclusionVCM has transformative potential to expand the reach of health services and provide differentiated options, meeting clients' preferences and needs. The experiences and lessons learned from these two case studies can guide the implementation of future VCM programs in other countries.

Indexed as

Case ManagementCOVID-19HIV InfectionsTelemedicineFeasibility StudiesHumansIndonesiaNepal

Identifiers

PMID42575677
PMCPMC13455859

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.