Implementation of Mobile Medical Units for Veterans Experiencing Homelessness: A Mixed-Methods Study.
Yoon, Jean; Wong, Emily P.; Weber, Jillian J.; Blonigen, Daniel M.; Tsai, Jack
Why this matters
Mobile units reach a sicker population than the clinic they are attached to, which shapes staffing. Across 17 responding Veterans Affairs sites, veterans who used mobile units had more comorbidities, were more likely to have a substance use disorder (49.9 percent versus 39.1 percent), and already used more health care.
Abstract
This mixed-methods study examined early implementation of VA MMUs at 25 HPACT sites. 17 sites responded; implementation occurred during a mean of 147 hours in 5 months. Most sites visited housing sites and homeless shelters. Veterans who used MMUs had more medical comorbidities (Elixhauser score 3.4 vs 2.8), were more likely to have substance use disorder (49.9% vs 39.1%), and had higher baseline levels of health care use.