PITTSBURGH, Pa. (PTTP)- Dr. Jim Withers, the founder of the Street Medicine Institute, has been providing medical care to unsheltered people and those experiencing homelessness since 1992.
He took to the streets of Pittsburgh, alongside a street-savvy, former homeless person as a guide. Dr. Withers found that many people experiencing homelessness were “disillusioned with healthcare… and they weren’t about to go seeking care.”
“Many said I’d rather die than go to the hospital…and so the only way to make it work was to go where they were,” said Dr. Withers.
With the support of The Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, Dr. Withers founded Pittsburgh Mercy’s Operation Safety Net- an award-winning medical and social service outreach program.
At present, a network of Street Medicine programs exist in more than 85 cities across 15 countries on 5 continents.
“It’s a privilege to be welcomed into someone else’s world and understand healthcare from that perspective,” said Dr. Withers.