A Medical Student-Run Inpatient Homelessness Consult Service

Objective: The inpatient homelessness consult service at the University of Virginia was created to provide continuity of care, connect patients to local resources, facilitate safe discharges, and ultimately reduce length of stay, emergency department visits, and readmissions for this vulnerable population.
Methods: A specific pager number was generated for the consult service. Any member of the inpatient care team can page a trained student team member once they identify their patient to be experiencing homelessness. Students conduct extensive in-person barrier assessment, write a note in Epic, and complete appropriate tasks to reduce identified barriers. Prior to implementation and throughout the process, students have met with inpatient social workers, case managers of local shelters, and the UVA’s Interactive Home Monitoring Team to gather input from various stakeholders regarding workflow and the population’s needs.
Results: In June 2021, a pilot of the consult service began on 1 inpatient unit and quickly expanded to all inpatient units over subsequent months. From June 2021 to Dec 2021, the team received consults for 65 individual patients over 84 consults, an average of ~4 consults per week. 33 medical students are trained to participate in the consult service. The consult service has facilitated safe discharge to local shelters, acquired mobile phones via Medicaid, obtained needed items, arranged transportation for post-discharge appointments, and scheduled follow-up in the in-shelter clinics.
Conclusions: The inpatient homelessness consult service has been a welcomed addition to the resources offered to UVA patients experiencing homelessness.

2022 UVA Health Disparities Conference - Plenary Session 1