Chronic Wound Management And Socioeconomic Barriers In A Street Medicine Setting

Abstract

“CHRONIC WOUND MANAGEMENT AND SOCIOECONOMIC BARRIERS IN A STREET MEDICINE SETTING” Jesse Obregon, Taha F. Rasul, Brittany J. Blake, Orly Morgan, Julie Schnur, Armen Henderson Miami Street Medicine Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Background Persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) have decreased access to longitudinal care which means that they often present to providers in advanced disease stages. Street Medicine providers in low resource settings should consider cost-effective methods of managing patients with chronic wounds in order to prevent the development of complications. We present two cases in which Street Medicine providers used physical exam findings and a multifaceted approach to manage chronic wounds of differing etiologies. Case Presentation Patient 1: A 53-year-old male was seen with multiple, acute and chronic facial wounds. He had been hospitalized multiple times in the past year due to seizure activity. He had been prescribed Levetiracetam, however did not take the medication due to side effects and limited access to refills. The street medicine team provided wound care, counseled on medication adherence, and coordinated an appointment at a nearby low-income clinic. Two weeks later, he had refilled his medication and did not have any further facial or bodily trauma. Patient 2: A 65-year-old unsheltered male with a history of liver disease was encountered for left leg non-healing ulcer. He was hesitant to receive care at any clinical setting. Initially, the wound was approximately 12 x 9 cm in size with purulent drainage and foul odor. Wound care provided consisted of saline irrigation, gentle debridement, bandaging, and multivitamin tablets. He was also provided with wound care supplies for self-service. Over the next 6 months, his wound shrunk to 8 x 7.5 cm in size with the presence of granulation tissue without erythema or malodorous discharge. Discussion The first case demonstrates how monitoring facial wound healing processes served as a clinical marker of seizure disorder improvement. Connecting that patient to primary care by leveraging community resources and medication refills helped in the improvement of his seizure disorder. The second case provided a challenge as the patient was resistant to help for his wound care and medical condition. Consistent wound care likely decreased the risk of severe complications such as cellulitis, osteomyelitis, and abscesses. Street medicine organizations can serve as a bridge for PEH from the street to the clinical setting.