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Community Health Events
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In collaboration with colleagues in Family Medicine and Cardiology, members of the UPMC Vascular Surgery division attend community health events to screen members of the Pittsburgh community for common atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors and spread awareness about PAD.
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Outreach Clinic at 2nd Avenue Commons
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Patients experiencing homelessness (PEH) have higher mortality rates related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, often as a direct result of barriers to accessing therapies that address and reduce disease burden. Furthermore, up to 65% of PEH deal with foot problems in various forms. Given barriers in accessing preventive care, foot problems are often overlooked and inadequately treated in populations of PEH, which can lead to progressive infection and ultimately amputation.
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A monthly Vascular Expert Outreach clinic has been established at the Second Avenue Commons (2AC) Health Center, initially as an adjunct to the foot soaks offered by the Street Medicine team. Medical student volunteers are mentored by T32 research scholars and vascular surgery fellows to conduct monthly clinics screening patients for PAD risk factors and completing vascular pulse exams and manual ABIs. The screenings have resulted in referrals to the Mercy Wound Center for further evaluation of patients with chronic venous insufficiency, as well as provided a source of continuity of care for housing insecure patients seen in an inpatient setting.