Medical Education, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
Medical Education, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA.
BMJ Case Rep. 2023 Feb 3;16(2):e251082. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2022-251082.
Street Medicine is a volunteer-run initiative for low-resource healthcare settings. Formed to bridge gaps in care for persons experiencing homelessness, these organisations work to provide preventative medicine through maintenance care and follow-up. However, there are limits to what Street Medicine can accomplish given the geographical radius covered, lack of available transportation options and vulnerable sleeping locations night to night for the patients served. The subject of this case report is a middle-aged Spanish-speaking unsheltered man who began his care with a Street Medicine team. He was unable to attend medical appointments due to relocation, complicating his disease course and resulting in hospital intervention for cellulitis. Post-discharge, he stayed within radius and was treated by the street team. Increased emphasis on the effects of housing insecurity and addressing social determinants of health could prevent deterioration of manageable diseases and should be an area of active interest for Street Medicine team expansion.
街头医疗是一项针对资源匮乏医疗环境的志愿者服务。它的成立是为了弥补无家可归者的医疗服务空白，通过维持治疗和后续治疗来提供预防医学服务。然而，由于服务对象的地理位置半径、缺乏可用的交通选择以及每晚的脆弱睡眠地点等限制，街头医疗所能完成的工作是有限的。本病例报告的主题是一名中年讲西班牙语的无家可归男子，他开始由街头医疗团队提供治疗。由于搬迁，他无法参加医疗预约，这使他的病情复杂化，并导致蜂窝织炎需要住院治疗。出院后，他在服务半径内并由街头医疗团队进行治疗。更加重视住房不安全的影响并解决健康的社会决定因素，可以防止可管理疾病的恶化，应该成为街头医疗团队扩展的积极关注领域。
