Wounds on wheels: implementing a specialized wound clinic within an established syringe exchange program in Baltimore, Maryland

Am J Public Health. 2014 Nov;104(11):2057-9. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302111. Epub 2014 Sep 11.

Abstract

People who inject drugs (PWID) experience a high incidence of abscesses and chronic wounds. However, many PWID delay seeking care for their wounds. In 2012, the Baltimore Needle Exchange Program (BNEP) in Baltimore, Maryland, partnered with the Johns Hopkins Wound Healing Center to establish a mobile BNEP Wound Clinic. This clinic provided specialized wound care for BNEP patients. In sixteen months, the clinic treated 78 unique patients during 172 visits overall. On average, each visit cost the program $146.45, which was substantially less than clinic-based treatment. This program demonstrates that specialized wound care can be effectively provided through mobile outreach. A community-based service delivery approach might serve as a model for local health departments looking to improve the health of PWID.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Ambulatory Care Facilities / organization & administration*
  • Baltimore
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Needle-Exchange Programs / organization & administration*
  • Needlestick Injuries / etiology
  • Needlestick Injuries / therapy*
  • Program Development
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / complications*
  • Young Adult