Solving homelessness, one simulation at a time

Walking just four hours in someone else’s shoes is making a big difference in Grand Junction, Colorado.?

St. Mary’s Regional Hospital hosted a Poverty Immersion Experience in conjunction with United Way of Mesa County and the City of Grand Junction’s Housing Department in November.?

In one afternoon, St. Mary’s leaders, family medicine residents, faculty, and clinic staff experienced a month’s worth of challenges that come with living in poverty. Participants went away with perspective, empathy, and clearer understanding of the roadblocks those living in poverty must overcome to get a step ahead.??

Victoria Grasmick, director of Community Health for Intermountain’s Western Colorado market, serves on United Way’s United to Solve Homelessness Committee. She’s been supporting the Poverty Immersion Experience for community members as part of the United Way’s programming to raise awareness, inspire solutions, and help solve the issue of homelessness in the area.??

A St. Mary’s physician approached Victoria and requested all residents take part in the powerful exercise to improve care for low-income patients.?

“Regardless of where we have come from in our lives, most — if not all — physicians are far removed from living a life where you’re one bad day away from a serious financial problem leading to joblessness or houselessness,” said Sabrina Mitchell, DO, program director of Family Medicine Residency and program participant. “Even if you’re passionate about providing great care to underserved communities, you can become less aware of what some of our families and patients go through on a monthly basis.”?

At the beginning of each Poverty Immersion Experience, all participants are assigned personas, briefed on their life situations, and given a set amount of funds. Volunteers set up stations to act as services in the community ranging from childcare, grocery stores, medical clinics, and other social services. The immersion takes participants through a simulated month of living with limited resources while providing for their families and making tough decisions.??

During the St. Mary’s simulation, Victoria acted as a difficult pharmacist. “One resident came to my station and wanted to buy medicine,” she said. “I told her the cost, and she told me she couldn’t afford it. Then she started bargaining and asked, ‘Can I just get three days of medicine?’ I saw on her face the moment she realized what her patients could be experiencing with their prescriptions.”?

In other scenarios, some faced the isolation of having no family or social support.?

“Many of the participants were assigned to a family unit,” Dr. Mitchell said. “I happened to be given a profile of a senior who wasn’t part of a family unit. As I looked around in the simulation, the family units were interacting together (sometimes positively, other times not), and everyone was so busy and focused on surviving that I had very few interactions with other participants outside of attending to my to-do list.”??

Participants said the immersion was a powerful learning experience that will affect how they interact and care for patients facing these types of barriers.?

“The residents were already great at utilizing our amazing care coordinators to help connect patients with resources,” Dr. Mitchell said. “Simulating a possible day in the life of a patient brings a new level of awareness. Now I think we’ll all ask better-informed and specific questions, and we’ll have an increased sympathy for patients when they share the frustrations of jumping through hoops to get assistance. I may have insights to share with patients on medication changes that might stretch their tight budget.”?

“I hope this program helps caregivers and community members develop a sense of empathy and connectedness to their community, and are stirred to help," Victoria said. “The solution has to be community-based. Let's be partners and work together to support others.”?