A new project in Charlotte is underway with the goal of bridging the gap to health care for people living outdoors.
Atrium Health’s Care Everywhere Street Medicine Project is a street outreach team that includes physicians and medical students, supported by staff with the shelter program Roof Above.
Dr. Kyle Roedersheimer, who helps oversee the initiative, said the effort is focused on reducing fear and building trust with people who may avoid traditional medical settings.
“A bridge, a connection to the broader health care system and, you know, a lot of these folks are afraid of coming to the hospital or coming to the doctor,” Roedersheimer said.
Roof Above plays a key role in helping the team locate encampments and identify people with the highest needs.
“They are pivotal in our success, knowing where the patients are, helping us identify those that have the highest needs, and just being like, you know, the coordinators of getting us to the clients has been incredible and pivotal,” Roedersheimer said.
The team currently heads out twice a month to encampments in South Charlotte along the I-77 corridor. Roedersheimer said they typically care for about a handful of patients during each outing, including repeat visits with some individuals over the past few months.
“We’ve been able to take care of, like, probably six or eight patients a day, and some of the same patients over the past couple of months,” he said. “And just to see the joy and just that they feel that someone’s, you know, looking out for them and coming out to where they are and where they’re living.”
The team hopes to expand its footprint across Charlotte.
