Reimagining STI Care: The LA County Public Health Experience
With over 374 million new STI infections occurring globally each year, traditional "test and refer" approaches are failing to reach vulnerable populations who face significant barriers to care. This webinar explores innovative field-based interventions that are revolutionizing STI prevention and treatment by combining rapid molecular diagnostics with immediate on-site treatment. Originally developed to address rising syphilis rates, these mobile testing teams are eliminating the critical "lost to follow-up" gap while simultaneously uncovering unexpected co-infection patterns that inform comprehensive treatment strategies. Drawing from recent field implementation data, discover evidence-based strategies that transform public health response and achieve measurable impact in high-risk communities.
Speakers Overview:
Shobita Rajagopalan, MD, MS, MPH (Dr. Raj)
Senior Physician, Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease
STD Clinical Chief/Associate Medical Director
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Division of HIV and STD Programs
Dr. Raj is board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease (ID) and has academic appointments at UCLA and Charles Drew University of Medicine. She is an attending faculty for the ID Division at Harbor UCLA Medical Center.
Dr. Raj achieved her medical degree from Bangalore Medical College, Bangalore, India, her Internal Medicine Residency and Infectious Disease Fellowship from State University of New York Health Sciences Center in Brooklyn. Additionally, she accomplished her MPH Degree from UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health's Executive Program.
Dr. Raj currently oversees the Congenital Syphilis and Clinical Consultation Unit within the Division of HIV and STD Programs (DHSP). She leads a novel Clinical Field Team and is a key medical consultant for the Specialized Investigation Team for Syphilis Outbreak Strategy. She also oversees the DHS ED Syphilis Surveillance Project and the CARGOS program at DHSP. Her interests include evaluation of both traditional and non-traditional approaches to screening, diagnosis and treatment of STIs and community engagement and education. She enjoys exploring new testing modalities, especially point of care CLIA waived tests as well as home testing options. She serves as the Division’s liaison to the LA County Public Health Laboratory.