Abstract
Although the accessibility of patients to antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is not yet overlapping worldwide, HIV infection has rapidly become a chronic disease that guarantees a high quality of life. The HIV therapy research is constantly aimed at proposing new drugs based on the needs related to the patient's characteristics. In Italy "typical" patient is male gender and its infection is datable in adulthood rather than in juvenile; more and more frequently it presents chronic pathologies. The problems that arise in such a composite population are related to time management, patient monitoring and organization definition to effectively assist a cohort tending to a more advanced age group. The organization of work presents two main models: assistance through a multidisciplinary team or through a progressive enlargement of the skills of the doctors who are in charge of the patient. To choose between these two models it is necessary to take into consideration that new types of treatment will probably be rapidly available with the aim of improving the patient's adherence and quality of life. The proposal of new therapies, however, will have to take account of the patient's clinical and pharmacological history once again. It is therefore likely that, as also indicated by the chronic diseases national plan, the taking charge by a specialist and the personalization of the treatment will continue to be an important element of the model of care and of the patient with HIV infection.