Health on the Margins: A More Successful and Compassionate Model for Street Medicine

Abstract

Street medicine is a promising initiative that centers unhoused patients, but there are undeniable caveats to what it cannot yet achieve without a more standardized backbone for success. This paper argues that a more compassionate and effective model of street medicine can be constructed by emphasizing three core principles: consistency among healthcare practitioners, the presence of a licensed physician on-site, and a streamlined system for resource management. By standardizing continuous practitioner involvement, embedding physicians into street medicine teams, and establishing proper medication procedures, the current model can more efficiently bridge the gap between unhoused individuals and healthcare institutions that often delay care. The suggested framework presents a feasible and scalable path toward delivering more thoughtful, grounded care to people experiencing homelessness.