Street Medicine
ZVMS Presentation and Discussion with Jim Withers, MD
We are grateful to Jim Withers, MD, the founder of the Street Medicine Institute,
for his April 26, 2021 presentation and discussion on:
“The Potential of Street Medicine to Reach
Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in Our Local Communities.”
This event culminated ZVMS’ training series on serving patients experiencing homelessness.
Read the transcript from the event
Key Takeaways from the Event with Dr. Withers
(Click to expand)
- “There’s a disconnect between the reality of systems and the reality of individuals.” Too often, patients fail to have their needs met within the healthcare system or are excluded outright from entering the system.
- It is a “human right” that patients receive care “in a way that meets them where they are.”
- Before initiating a street medicine program in your community, “it’s always good to do your research.” Find a “core group” of people who are dedicated to practicing street medicine, including an “outreach leader who is extremely familiar with the folks on the street.”
- Build trust before expanding. Medical students and other learners may at first “have to sit on the bench for a while or contribute in other ways” to avoid overwhelming patients while relationships are still being established.
- “The key is that you’re consistently on the street and maintaining the trust and your worthiness” with the homeless community.
- Dr. Withers recommends having an advisory board that includes “some representatives from the community with lived experience” of homelessness.
- “You can have your plans and schemes, but you have to keep in mind that, as best you can, you’re accountable to them and their dignity.”
Recording of the Dr. Withers Event
Watch an edited recording of the April 26, 2021 event:
Interested in Street Medicine?
Inspired by Dr. Withers’ work?
Learn more about the Street Medicine Institute here
Interested in efforts to address homelessness in Minnesota, Olmsted County, and/or Rochester?
Click on the “Become Involved” button below to let us know.
Mayoral Proclamation
In honor of Dr. Withers’ event, Rochester Mayor Kim Norton proclaimed the week of April 26, 2021, to be “Street Medicine Awareness Week.”