Health Outreach through Medicine and Education was established in 1999 by Midwestern University’s Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine as a student club. H.O.M.E. volunteers provide free medical care to underprivileged individuals residing in the shelters in Phoenix, Arizona. The students also provide free education about medical topics at the three shelters and four other day centers in the area. As the university grew, so did the club, gradually adding more disciplines to its ranks.
Currently, weekly clinics have been established at 3 locations: Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS), United Methodist Outreach Ministries (UMOM) Watkins (currently closed), and Vista Colina. We are working on another acute care location at LifeBridge (a community outreach), and a preventive care clinic at Parsons’ Village (a temporary housing facility through UMOM). Educational presentations are provided at CASS, UMOM Fillmore, UMOM New Day, Vista Colina, One N Ten, Justa Center, and Tumbleweed once to twice per month. The clinics and presentations are run entirely by students of Midwestern University.
The goal of the program is two-fold: educating health care students on patient care and examinations, while providing free, quality medical care to the locally underserved population. H.O.M.E. provides over-the-counter medications, common antibiotics, asthma medications, glucose and blood pressure monitoring, along with other basic supplies to the patients we see. A wide range of ailments is seen, including respiratory infections, hernias, wounds, diabetes, and communicable diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. As an interdisciplinary team, we are able to provide shelter residents with free on-site general and specialty medical care, including podiatry, optometry, pharmacy, and osteopathic manipulative treatment services.
At a H.O.M.E. clinic on a typical clinic night, a team of health care students and licensed preceptors provide care to an average of 8-20 patients. For each patient, a small group of students completes a medical history, an initial examination, and progress notes before presenting to the supervising practitioner. The preceptor then asks the students questions regarding the patient, offers student teaching points, and performs a follow-up patient exam. Once a plan has been established, the patient is given free medications, education about their condition, and other treatment as indicated by their diagnosis and availability of services that evening.
At a H.O.M.E. educational presentation, a team of health care students provides a short educational lecture about a chosen topic, complete with teaching aids. The session then converts to a round table discussion or learning activity for the participants. Healthy snacks, personal hygiene items and other small incentives are presented to the participants before they leave.
