Date of Publication
2-4-2011
Abstract
Background: Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) houses homeless individuals and families from the Burlington area. COTS believes that a high proportion of their residents use the Fletcher Allen Health Care Emergency Department (FAHCED) for their health care more frequently compared to the general population. There are many other primary care services offered in the Burlington area, such as Safe Harbor Clinic, Community Health Center, and private offices, which are more appropriate for non-emergent health concerns and are readily accessible to the homeless population. By surveying the population of homeless families in Burlington and conducting a focus group with the COTS staff, we hoped to discover the reasons for ED usage, potential barriers to primary health care, and any possible changes that could ameliorate the health care of this population
Advisor(s)
Liz Smith, Committee on Temporary Shelter
Annika Hawkins, FNP, MPH, Safe Harbor Clinic
Mary Anne Kohn, Committee on Temporary Shelter
Pam Farnham, ADN, RN, Fletcher Allen Health Care
Grace Chi, MD, Fletcher Allen Health Care
Agency
Committee on Temporary Shelter
Subjects
Access to Health Services, Health Communication and Health Information Technology, Public Health Infrastructure, Social Determinants of Health
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License
Recommended Citation
Ameli, Jonathan; Crook, Emily; Kennedy, Ashleigh; Gray, Megan; Sutherland, Jared; Thomas, Jonathan; Chi, Grace; Farnham, Pam; Smith, Liz; and Hawkins, Annika, "Emergency Department Use Among Vermont Homeless Families" (2011). Public Health Projects, 2008-present. 54.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/54