VA Homeless Health Rotation for UW Internal Medicine Residents

GOALS

Those experiencing homelessness have unique medical needs, with barriers to traditional health care and increased rates of both physical and mental health concerns. Your primary goal during the VA Homeless Health rotation will be to better understand the experience of homeless Veterans, and how to “meet people where they’re at” both figuratively and literally. This will be accomplished through a combination of time in clinic and performing outreach to various shelters, transitional houses, and hygiene centers. You will work closely with the Seattle VA Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team, which serves as a medical home for homeless Veterans, and is comprised of a physician, nurse and social worker. In additional to your clinical experiences, you will be expected to perform a small project of your choice (examples include keeping a journal, learning to use panel management tools for quality improvement, writing an online educational case study).

SAMPLE CALENDAR

WEEK 1
M   Walk-in clinic at VA Primary Care Clinic (all-day)
T    Continuity clinic (all-day)
W   Outreach to DESC // Admin
Th  Outreach to Compass Center // H-PACT clinic at PCC
F    Continuity clinic (all day)

WEEK 2
M   Continuity clinic (all-day)
T    Outreach with H-PACT RN // Admin
W   Outreach to DESC // H-PACT clinic at PCC
Th  UW conf // H-PACT clinic at PCC
F    Continuity clinic (all day)

 

WEEK 3
M   Walk-in clinic at VA Primary Care Clinic (all-day)
T    Needle Exchange // Admin
W   Outreach to DESC // H-PACT clinic at PCC
Th  Outreach to Compass Center // H-PACT clinic at PCC
F    Continuity clinic (all day)

WEEK 4
M   Continuity clinic (all-day)
T    King County Mobile Medical Van // Admin
W   Outreach to DESC // H-PACT clinic at PCC
Th  UW conf // H-PACT clinic at PCC
F    Continuity clinic (all day)

RESOURCES AND READINGS