History of the CCC

Once the CCC opened its doors, the Metropolitan Health Department shifted care of its HIV patients to the CCC and remained a busy testing and screening center. Likewise, the Infectious Diseases Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center discontinued providing primary care for HIV infected patients and dedicated its efforts to providing accesss to cutting-edge clinical trials. By the end of its first year of operation, the CCC had enrolled 869 patients. Much of the initial uncertainty about the survival of the CCC was linked to the questionable survival of the TENNCare system. Extremely poor reimbursement rates, late payments and endless bureaucratic requirements made the idea of a financially independent Center seem unlikely. During this time, the CCC relied on support from its corporate and medical center donors.

In 1996 it became apparent that the level of care required by a complex and constantly changing disease like HIV infection could only be provided to Tennesseans through a network of Centers of Excellence. Statewide meetings began which brought together HIV care providers, HIV infected consumers, managed care organizations and representatives from the State. Through the hard work of several different managed care organization medical directors, HIV care providers consumers and Drs. Wendy Long, Bill Moore and program coordinator Drema Mace the statewide Centers of Excellence came into being. In 1999, eight Centers of Excellence were designated by the State. The designated Centers of Excellence share treatment protocols, formulary considerations and collaborate on issues related to HIV care. The CCC was instrumental in the organization and the implementation of the Centers of Excellence Network.

In 1997 the CCC received funding from the State of Tennessee - Department of Health through the Title III funds of the Ryan White Care Act to begin establishing a Center of Clinical Excellence in Cookeville, Tennessee. This Center opened at the Putnam Regional Health Center in February 1997. It currently serves over 125 patients. In 1998 the second satellite clinic was opened in Springfield, Tennessee. It currently serves 91 patients. The last satellite clinic to join the network is the HIV clinic at the regional health center in Columbia Tennessee. The CCC took over the direction of this clinic in 2000 after its founder, Dr. Peggy Alsup, retired. There are approximately 118 patients in care at this clinic.

More recently the CCC has become the recipient of Ryan White Title III and Title IV funding to set up an adherence center and to develop its services for HIV infected women. As part of this effort the Obstetrics Comprehensive Care Center, a collaborative effort between the CCC and high-risk obstetrics at Vanderbilt, has moved on-site. In addition, The Vanderbilt Clinical Trials Center is now located in adjacent space in the same building as the CCC, thereby providing convenient access to new and experimental therapies for HIV infection.