Connecting homeless patients from emergency departments to street medicine care
Official title: Emergency Department Linkage to Care for Patients Experiencing Homelessness
Funded at Denver Health and Hospital Authority · NIH-11064210 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how to help people experiencing homelessness get better healthcare by connecting them to street medicine programs right after they leave the emergency room, so they can access regular medical care and housing support to improve their health and reduce the need for emergency visits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Denver Health and Hospital Authority NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2024 |
| Project end | September 17, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $93,364 |
| NIH project number | 1F32HS030344-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11064210 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing homelessness who frequently utilize emergency department services.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not experiencing homelessness or those who do not use emergency department services may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to improve healthcare for people experiencing homelessness by linking them to street medicine programs when they leave the emergency department. It aims to address the fragmented care that these individuals often face, which leads to high rates of emergency department visits and poor health outcomes. By implementing a referral system at the time of discharge, the project seeks to enhance access to primary care and housing support, ultimately improving overall health and reducing unnecessary hospital visits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve health outcomes for homeless individuals by providing them with consistent and accessible medical care.
How similar studies have gone: While street medicine has shown promise in improving care for homeless populations, this specific linkage-to-care intervention has not been previously studied.
Where this research is happening
-
Denver Health and Hospital Authority
Denver, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Joseph, Kathleen — Denver Health and Hospital Authority
- Study coordinator: Joseph, Kathleen
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.