Washington State University spearheads new toolkit for one health
Sara brings her ferret, Izzy, into the veterinary clinic for a check-up because he hasn’t been feeling well. During the veterinary visit, Izzy is diagnosed with the flu, an illness that can go back and forth between humans and ferrets. Although Sara didn’t plan to meet with the nurse practitioner - she really only came in for Izzy - the nurse practitioner at the clinic is able to meet with Sara in the adjacent room and is able to diagnose Sara with the flu as well. At the One Health Clinic, Sara doesn’t need to make an appointment and go to another location for her healthcare since all the care is in one location.
This easy access to healthcare is the norm at the One Health Clinic™ in Seattle. The clinic offers integrated healthcare for people experiencing homelessness with pets. The unique side-by-side model of care means clients, like Sara and Izzy, can get both their healthcare needs met at one place and at one time, and where her veterinary and human health team can create a health plan that benefits them both.
“People experiencing homelessness will prioritize caring for their pet rather than themselves,” shared Dr. Katie Kuehl, clinical faculty at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “Our team builds trust with the clients, so they are more comfortable accessing healthcare. When the person cares for themselves, they can better meet the needs of their pet as well as access other services to move toward housing stability.”
The One Health Clinic launched in 2018 with a goal of improving healthcare outcomes for people and their pets. Medical professionals and veterinarians - both students and clinicians - work together to understand the needs of the person, animal and issues that impact both.
“The interdisciplinary approach to healthcare is critical,” says Dr. Peter Rabinowitz, director of the University of Washington Center for One Health Research. “We are bringing together students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work and veterinary medicine to learn how they can best offer healthcare. This integrated approach is important for students to learn as they consider how to increase access to care for underserved communities.”
The team knew that creating a clinic wasn’t enough. They documented everything resulting in an online toolkit so people in other communities can design integrated healthcare clinics. The free toolkit (www.onehealthclinic.org) offers guidance for organizations at all stages of clinic development – from initial meetings to logistics. The team is working with communities across the country to pilot One Health Clinics. These clinics will increase access to healthcare for underserved populations.
“We have seen the youth and young adults in our community benefit from the One Health Clinic integrating with our existing human-only health care clinic,” states Katie Schneier, Neighborcare Health Clinic Administrator. “Before, they may not have accessed care for themselves, but the access to veterinary care brings them into the clinic, and their “Just Say Hello” policy has the owners meeting with our Nurse Practitioner. And that meeting may turn into a visit this time, or maybe next time. We estimate our client numbers have increased 42% since the One Health Clinic started.”
The One Health Clinic started as a partnership between the University of Washington Center for One Health Research and Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine to explore integrated human and veterinary healthcare for people experiencing homelessness. Partners for the Seattle Clinic includes Neighborcare Health as the human healthcare partner, and is held at New Horizons, a youth and young adult shelter and service provider. The pilot program was funded by a grant from the Banfield Foundation and the Population Health Initiative. The toolkit creation was supported by Petsmart Charities.