Anecdote from Street-Level America: more and more of the homeless are getting off the streets.
Every week, it seems, I have at least one patient who comes to the clinic to announce that he or she is getting into housing, and will probably change primary care providers. In other cases, I have patients who have been off the streets for a full year doing the same. My clinic offers healthcare to former homeless patients for up to a full year after they get off the streets.
In a number of cases, I have these same patients starting to visit me at our mainstream clinic when I work there on Fridays. So they get continuity of care, which is an important aspect of clinic medicine.
I haven't seen any stastistics to back this up scientifically, but I think things are getting better. The economy is finally starting to turn around. My patients are reporting that they have jobs, and they now have to schedule clinic visits around their work requirements. This is a good thing.
If we have to close the homeless clinic someday due to a complete absence of homeless people, that would be all right with me.
I'd just take some ibuprofen, get a deep-tissue neck and shoulder massage, and start again...
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Wouldn't it be wonderful to get put out of business, due only to the economy improving?
You'll always have work. Someone as skilled and compassionate as you are doesn't need to ever worry about that.
Congrats to your (former) patients!
