title: Help indigent patients and see return visits drop.
abstract: Programs that address the needs of indigent patients benefit the community, boost staff morale, and decrease return visits to the ED. By giving "starter" packs of prescriptions to patients, you can reduce return visits caused by the inability to fill a prescription. Consider providing transportation home for families involved in motor vehicle crashes. Donate car seats for infants and young children. Provide a range of social services that address specific needs of patients, such as shelter referrals and substance abuse interventions.
mesh_terms: D002608:Charities; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008489:Medical Indigency; D009519:New York City; D012947:Social Work; D017664:Uncompensated Care