About Positive Care

The Positive Care Center is part of Hennepin Healthcare and is specifically designed for people living with HIV/AIDS. We are nationally recognized for patient care, teaching and research.

HIV/AIDS was first identified in 1981, and since that time, Positive Care Center staff have provided outpatient clinic and inpatient hospital care to people living with HIV. We are committed to providing the best health care possible. Once you become a patient, you are part of a team. The core of this team is formed by the relationship between you and your primary care provider, usually a nurse practitioner or a physician. This person will work with you to make a plan to stay healthy and help you to set new goals. They will also recommend which medications are best, discuss lab results and consult on anything involved in your medical care.

Positive Care is a primary care clinic, meaning providers who work at the clinic are experienced in caring for you as a whole person. For this reason, there are many different kinds of people working for you here: nurses, pharmacists, medical providers, a dietician, a health educator, mental health providers, a chemical health assessor, social workers, and case managers. All are trained to meet the special needs of people living with HIV.

Our Services

As a certified Health Care Home, staff are proud to offer you the convenience of a "One-Stop" approach. We have many services that you can access, right here in the clinic, to help you be healthy. Please ask any of the staff about how you can be connected to the services you need.

  • Specialty HIV medical care
  • Primary care (including annual exams)
  • High-resolution anoscopy
  • Hepatitis C medical care
  • Care coordination and health care home services
  • Perinatal care coordination
  • Medication adherence counseling and tools
  • Nutritional counseling
  • Mental health services (therapy and medication evaluation)
  • Clinical research trials
  • Medical case management
  • Chemical health assessments and referrals
  • Inreach and appointment reminders
  • Benefits counseling and Ryan White eligibility assistance
  • Health education/risk reduction counseling
  • Free HIV rapid testing for partners/social networks
  • nPEP and PrEP services
  • Food shelf resource
  • Discharge planning (MCM) and medical care—Minnesota State Correctional Facilities
  • Transportation assistance

Is my medical information private?

Yes, the privacy of your health information is very important to us and guaranteed by law. As a patient at the Positive Care Center, you can be sure that your health information will be kept confidential in accordance with federal law. For instance, if you want us to share information about you or your medical care with an outside agency or source, we need your written permission to do so. Otherwise, it’s against the law for your information to be released. Ask a staff member if you have any questions or concerns about your medical information and confidentiality. We want you to feel safe and secure sharing the intimate details of life that are necessary to offer you the best care possible.

You should know that emailing your provider or pharmacist at Positive Care is not guaranteed to be confidential. If you want your medical information to be guaranteed confidential, we recommend you use the phone, send a letter, come by in person, or use My Chart.

To further protect your confidentiality, if the staff sees you in the community, they will not acknowledge that they know you unless you talk to them first.