Emergency Department Linkage to Care for Patients Experiencing Homelessness

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to improve access to primary care for patients experiencing homelessness who frequently use the emergency department (ED) but often lack follow-up care. The study compares two approaches to post-ED primary care: referral to a clinic or referral to a street medicine team that seeks patients directly on the street to reduce barriers to care. The goal is to assess which method better supports follow-up and health outcomes for this vulnerable population. Participants will be assigned to either receive a referral to the Comprehensive Care Clinic at Denver Health or to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless Stout Street medicine clinic at discharge. The street medicine team will attempt to contact patients within two weeks using electronic health record tools. Both groups will receive the hospital appointment line number. The study uses a non-randomized design with single masking. During the study, researchers will review health records at one and three months after the initial ED visit to measure follow-up rates, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and mortality. Data will be collected from Denver Health, the street medicine clinic, and a health information exchange. Participants' health outcomes and care engagement will be monitored through chart reviews over the three-month period following their ED discharge.

Emergency Department Linkage to Care for Patients Experiencing Homelessness