Health Screenings for the Homeless
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) PA program brought together students across health profession disciplines to provide healthcare to The Firehouse Shelter – a facility serving homeless men in the Birmingham metropolitan area.
Twice a month, Firehouse clients are screened for hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and other health issues. In the project’s first year, 96 PA students and almost 200 students from other health professions (physical therapy, occupational therapy, clinical lab science, nutrition science and health care administration) provided care at the clinic. During this time, the team delivered care to 185 individuals.
After his first day at the clinic, UAB PA student Christophe Jackson shared his thoughts, “One, we are all connected and the opportunities to serve are paramount to the health of the community. Two, differences in beliefs, socioeconomics, or creed may arise, however, my purpose as a PA is to be a patient advocate, treat them with dignity and respect, listen and offer the very best medical care possible. Three, people matter.”
UAB anticipates turning its health screening project into a sustainable program that will continue to deliver healthcare to one of Birmingham’s most vulnerable populations. The project has proven to be invaluable not only to the men who receive healthcare, but also to the students who deliver that care.
“My mother used to work at a local women’s shelter, so I spent a lot of time working with her,” said PA student, Ebony Bates. “Seeing first-hand how basic preventative healthcare can be overlooked due to stress of being homeless, encouraged me to do outreach in the hope that I could help play a role in making sure that those needs were met.”
The Firehouse project received a 2017 Health Excellence in Interprofessional Education Collaboration Honorable Mention in the caring for at risk and vulnerable communities category. The recognition, a joint effort between the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC), is presented to a team of health professional students and/or faculty whose interdisciplinary work has significantly impacted community health. Congratulations!
This project was supported with funding from the nccPA Health Foundation’s Be the CHANGE grant program.