is a major problem faced by many patients in the emergency department

According to a 2017 study published by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), 1 in 20 patients presenting to emergency departments at major medical centers in the Southeast are experiencing housing insecurity. JAMA Network Open.

These patients were more likely to have an initial complaint of suicide, be uninsured and see more than one doctor during the study period from January 5 to May 16, 2023.

“This shows the importance of prioritizing mental health care,” said lead author Madeleine Ball, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Class of 2024 and chair of the VUMC Homeless Health Services 2023-2024 Research Committee.

“Allocating resources to patients coming to the emergency department can have a significant impact on the patients who do it regularly. Our research highlights the practical implications of providing the best possible customized and optimized care to homeless people in all acute care centers to address this vulnerable patient population. “

The study’s authors used data from the Veterans Health Administration to examine a total of 23,795 emergency department visits. Homeless Screening Clinical Alert Screening the Homeless.

Questionnaire data were collected on demographics, mode of arrival, diagnosis, acuity, time of presentation, disposition, and insurance status.

A total of 5% (1,185) screened positive for housing insecurity.

Insecure housing and homelessness may increase the risk of adverse health outcomes, chronic illness, injury and disability, but there is no universal way to identify people currently at risk or currently experiencing homelessness in the emergency department, the authors said.

“Now that our team has screened for housing insecurity in the VUMC ED, we have several research questions to explore,” Ball said.

“We plan to conduct a qualitative analysis of the implementation of this new screening process with the goal of answering several research questions to optimize care for this patient population.”

Senior author Jennifer Hess, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine at VUMC, said she hopes the analysis will serve as a call to action for other institutions to implement screening and develop appropriate care plans for patients experiencing housing insecurity.

“This project takes an important first step toward promoting health equity by identifying who may benefit from resources and additional support,” Hess said.

“We are grateful to the diverse, multidisciplinary team for making this project possible and look forward to what it can bring. As homelessness and housing insecurity continue to rise across the country, we must prioritize improving access to this often insecure and care. Neglected patient populations.