In early 2022, around 120 people experiencing homelessness in the La Crosse region were staying at a local hotel. Gundersen Health System stepped up to help provide medical care to the population. Gundersen’s Population Health and Family Medicine Residency programs worked with community partners to develop a mobile “street medicine” team. Together, they were able to treat a vulnerable population and protect them from COVID-19 through vaccines and testing. Their efforts resulted in fewer COVID patients in the ER, a reduction in admissions and readmissions, and lifesaving care to a group with challenges accessing basic health care. 

Beyond the health of the patients, the street medicine program built trust between Gundersen and the unsheltered population. Prospective providers have also mentioned the program as a reason they would want to practice at Gundersen.