The Impact of Free Clinic Services on Healthcare Utilization among Charlottesville Residents Experiencing Homelessness

The UVA Community Outreach Clinic is a free clinic run by UVA physicians and medical students that provides access to healthcare for Charlottesville residents currently experiencing homelessness. The study population includes patients experiencing homelessness who have had at least one visit at this free clinic. The primary objective of this study is to assess changes in the frequency of emergency department visits before and after a patient’s initial UVA Community Outreach Clinic visit. Secondary objectives are to characterize changes in frequency of primary care and specialty care visits before and after a patient’s initial free clinic visit. In this retrospective chart review, the date of each patient’s initial encounter with the free clinic was identified utilizing the electronic medical record. We then compiled all the patients’ healthcare visits that occurred within a range of twelve months before and twelve months after their initial encounter with the free clinic. We are currently analyzing these data to assess for any significant differences in emergency department visits, primary care visits, and other healthcare services utilization, following patients’ initial encounter with the UVA Community Outreach Clinic. We are in the processes of finalizing the results of this investigation. The results will characterize the impact of the UVA Community Outreach Clinic on disparities in healthcare utilization within the Charlottesville community, as well as the economic impact that the free clinic has on the UVA Health System.

2022 UVA Health Disparities Conference - Breakout Session 3: Charlottesville Health Initiatives and Community Projects