In the United States, current HIV diagnostic algorithms based solely on serologic criteria for infection are inadequate for the timely diagnosis of acute or early HIV infection. Dr. Robert Coombs, professor of Laboratory Medicine and Medicine at the University of Washington, advises that future diagnostic algorithms should embrace simple/rapid antibody and HIV nucleic acid testing to support efforts to incorporate the concept of “presumptive HIV infection” into the early reporting of HIV test results. These simple/rapid test devices for detecting HIV infection will be very useful for point-of-care HIV testing in both resource-rich and resource- limited settings, but the limitations of these tests must be considered. A greater effort should be made to educate health care providers about the need for HIV diagnostic algorithms that incorporate these simple/rapid HIV test devices. From the Series:Laboratory Medicine Grand Rounds