Homelessness and Emergency Medicine: How to Address Health Inequities and Provide Effective, Dignified Care for Patients Experiencing Homelessness

Abstract

The portrait of emergency department (ED) use among people experiencing homelessness is a bleak one, worsened by biases, resource unavailability and other barriers to adequate healthcare which vulnerable populations experience. We should care about patients who experience homelessness because the ED is a valuable intervention point to improve their overall health, and many serious health issues are largely caused by homelessness. Dr. Kelly Doran highlights this critical intersection, saying that "housing is a critical social determinant of health . . . homelessness leads to worsening of medical conditions, increased risks of injury and, ultimately, early death." This increased risk of illness and early death is preventable, and emergency departments stand at the forefront of this injustice. [From Introduction]