Faculty Bibliography

Statement of Problem Or Question (One Sentence): How do we provide effective, dignified primary care for medically complex patients with homelessness in a safety-net health system? Objectives of Program/Intervention (No More Than Three Objectives): To effectively engage homeless patients with complex barriers to primary care To provide dignified, trauma-informed care focused on patient-oriented care goals while addressing addiction, mental health, and chronic disease To implement an interdisciplinary care team model in a safety-net health care system combining primary care, social work, care coordination, and nursing Description of Program/Intervention, Including Organizational Context (E.G. Inpatient Vs. Outpatient, Practice or Community Characteristics): Unstably housed people with complex chronic disease often receive fragmented care from various emergency departments and inpatient settings, accruing high rates of acute care utilization without improvements in health. Recently, intensive outpatient models have emerged to better manage high need patients. Here we describe our efforts to create a complex care clinic for medically, socially, and behaviorally complex patients with unstable housing at the largest safety-net health system in the United States. Launched in August 2018, the clinic aims to engage patients in a trusting healthcare environment and break the cycle of disease, addiction, and housing instability. Our team includes four buprenorphine-waivered internal medicine physicians, a social worker, care coordinator, and home care nurse provided by our system's Medicaid Health Home. Patients are referred from the ED, inpatient service, other clinics, street outreach organizations, shelters, and jails. They receive extensive care coordination; on-site addiction, medical, and social services; home nursing visits; and collaboration with shelters and community based organizations. Measures of Success (Discuss Qualitative And/Or Quantitative Metrics Which Will Be Used To Evaluate Program/Intervention): A quantitative analysis will be used to determine program impact on clinical outcomes and utilization, patient experience, and provider satisfaction. Both quantitative and qualitative measures will be used to evaluate clinic capacity, services provided, patient engagement, and progress towards patient-oriented care goals. Findings To Date (It Is Not Sufficient To State Findings Will Be Discussed): From August through December 2018, 156 referrals were given appointments and 83 patients completed at least one appointment. Of those, at least 44 patients (53%) returned for a second visit. On average patients completed 2.1 visits. We had a 16% cancellation rate and 38% no show rate. Patients are mostly male, middle-aged and street or shelter dwelling with common diagnosis of substance use disorder, lower extremity wounds, and hypertension. Our most engaged patients (> 3 visits, n=15) have seen an average reduction in ED visits by 68% and inpatient admissions by 58% within our system compared to pre-clinic intervention. Key Lessons For Dissemination (What Can Others Take Away For Implementation To Their Practice Or Community?): Relationships have been a core element of patient care, building an interdisciplinary team, and developing referral and collaborative resources internally and in the community. Our focus on a patient-directed care plan, warm hand-offs, continuity of care, and community outreach has also allowed this model to succeed

Sanguis draconis, a resin known to improve blood circulation, relieve pain, stimulate tissue regeneration, and heal wounds, is widely used in clinical practice. In this study, we prepared an ethanol extract of sanguis draconis (EESD) containing 75.08 mg/g of dracorhodin. The experiment was carried out on 20 rats that were divided into two groups, a control group (n = 10) and an EESD group (n = 10). All the rats underwent a perforator flap surgery, after which post-operative abdominal compressions of EESD were given to the EESD group for seven days, while the control group received saline. Flap survival percentages were determined after seven days, and were found to be significantly higher in the EESD group than in the control group. Results of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) showed that perforator flaps in the EESD group had higher perfusion values than those of the control group. The flap tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, followed by immunohistochemical evaluation. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression and micro-vessel development markedly increased in the EESD group, while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased. This is the first study to investigate the effect of sanguis draconis on perforator flap survival. Our results demonstrate that sanguis draconis can improve perforator flap survival in rats by promoting microvessel regeneration and blood perfusion.