The New York Times reports that 200 emergency departments throughout the state of New York will receive a new computer application which is introduced to screen patients for HIV exposure risks.

This new “widget” questions the patients about the possible HIV exposure through blood contact, drug use or sexual contact.

Then the application identifies which patients should receive immediate post-exposure prophylactic treatment which can inhibit the spread of HIV when administered soon after the exposure.

The widget also provides details about the treatment and the 28-day course of antiretroviral drugs with connected links to consent forms in 22 languages including Creole, Laotian and Yoruba.

The widget is regularly updated with the latest medical recommendations and the home page includes a counter that keeps an account of the number of new HIV infections in the state.

Dr. Tony Urbina, medical director of H. I. V./AIDS education at St. Vincent’s, who developed the widget with Paul Galatowitsch, also of St. Vincent’s says, “There’s a gap in knowledge in the health care sector about these topics”.

The first dose should be administered during the “golden two-hour-period” after the exposure but the state officials clarified that the treatment is effective if started within 36 hours.