CJEM
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Multicenter Study
Healthcare workers' perspectives on a prescription phone program to meet the health equity needs of patients in the emergency department: a qualitative study.
People experiencing homelessness and marginalization face considerable barriers to accessing healthcare services. Increased reliance on technology within healthcare has exacerbated these inequities. We evaluated a hospital-based prescription phone program aimed to reduce digital health inequities and improve access to services among marginalized patients in Emergency Departments. We examined the perceived outcomes of the program and the contextual barriers and facilitators affecting outcomes. ⋯ Our findings suggest that providing phones to marginalized patient populations may address digital and social health inequities; however, building trusting relationships with patients, understanding the unique needs of these populations, and operating within a biopsychosocial model of health are key to program success.