Temple University Hospital, in collaboration with Health Partners Plans, Keystone First, and Resources for Human Development, Inc. (RHD), are collaborating on a pilot program aimed directly at improving the health of homeless patients by providing them with housing subsidies and support services. Between April and October 2020, the “Housing Smart” program enrolled 25 high healthcare utilizers with instances of avoidable emergency department or inpatient admissions. Priority was given to participants with opioid use disorder and persistent mental illness with co-occurring physical health conditions. The program has thus far seen a significant decrease in emergency department utilization and inpatient admissions for the 25 enrollees. Kaiser Health News collaborated with WHYY and NPR on coverage of the program. Steven R. Carson, MHA, BSN, RN, Senior Vice President of Population Health for Temple University Health System, and Patrick Vulgamore, Project Manager for the Temple Center for Population Health, were interviewed and included in the coverage.
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