Achievements and Outcomes
Thanks to our donors, volunteers, and hard working staff, we’ve seen tremendous growth in the homeless people we’ve been able to serve in the past 8 years. In fact, since we opened in 2000, we’ve seen almost a 6-fold increase in total people served.
Throughout 2008, we delivered primary and ancillary care, dental care and supportive services to 8,674 homeless men, women, and children. Breaking down the numbers shows the following:
| 14,240 patient visits |
| 56,700 units of care |
| 3,505 people received medical care |
| 920 people received dental care |
| 5,169 passengers on bus |
| 211 people received eye exams and eyewear |
| 374 inmates received ‘inreach’ services |
In late 2008, Healthcare for the Homeless – Houston incorporated telepsychiatry into the clinical services at the SEARCH clinic to enhance its level of psychiatric care and to provide on demand consultation for patients as needed. The service has video conferencing capability with a response rate of 90 minutes or less. Consultations consist of initial or concurrent staffing with an HHH clinician; diagnostic interview; development of a treatment plan; and, delivery of medical record documentation. The new technology shows considerable promise in treating homeless men and women, with significant cost benefit. It has been expanded to Cathedral Clinic in early 2009.