Donna Sweet

University of Kansas School of Medicine

Donna E. Sweet, MD, MACP, AAHIVS

University of Kansas, School of Medicine

Wichita, Kansas

After completing her medical schooling at the University of Kansas, School of Medicine in Wichita, Sweet went on to practice medicine at the very same place. She has been treating people living with HIV since 1983 and has spent the entirety of her medical career in practice at the University of Kansas, School of Medicine in Wichita. Today, her medical practice association, which specializes in General Internal Medicine and HIV care, is comprised of two physicians, three advanced practice registered nurses, and one physician assistant. On any given day, Sweet sees 20 outpatient visits with a combination of HIV-infected patients and internal medical primary care. She notes that the percentage of HIV-infected patients she sees over the age of 50 has increased steadily over the years and the internal medicine practice has seen an increase in patients over the age of 70.

Sweet says the greatest obstacle she faces as an HIV care provider is the financial barriers to keeping patients in care. To that end, Sweet is an ardent supporter of the Ryan White Care Act and hopes to continue to see it reauthorized and appropriated. Looking to the future, Sweet envisions HIV care will be much more integrated into primary care settings.