{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,18]],"date-time":"2026-06-18T03:24:10Z","timestamp":1781753050301,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,7]],"date-time":"2024-06-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1717718400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>People experiencing homelessness are more likely to utilize emergency departments than their non-homeless counterparts. However, obtaining a bed in a homeless shelter for patients can be complex. To better understand the challenges of finding a safe discharge plan for homeless patients in the emergency department, our team conducted interviews with emergency department social workers and homeless shelter case managers in the Boston area. We identified and mapped the stages in the processes performed by both parties, identifying challenges with successful placement into a shelter. Furthermore, we assembled a data dictionary of key factors considered when assessing a patient\u2019s fit for a homeless shelter. By identifying bottlenecks and areas of opportunity, this study serves as a first step in enabling homeless individuals to receive the post-discharge assistance they require.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0304865","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,7]],"date-time":"2024-06-07T18:11:33Z","timestamp":1717783893000},"page":"e0304865","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Discharge process for patients experiencing homelessness in the emergency department: A thematic qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Elle R.","family":"Marcus","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jossie A.","family":"Carreras Tartak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Helena","family":"Halasz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3178-519X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"David","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4532-8523","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jarone","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9902-5077","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Shuhan","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0304865.ref001","author":"City of Boston","year":"2019","journal-title":"Annual Homeless Census"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0304865.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"288","DOI":"10.1080\/15228932.2012.695645","article-title":"Safer outside: A qualitative exploration of homeless people\u2019s resistance to homeless shelters","volume":"12","author":"AM Donley","year":"2012","journal-title":"Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0304865.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"461","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1540-4560.2007.00519.x","article-title":"Toward an international understanding of homelessness","volume":"63","author":"PA Toro","year":"2007","journal-title":"Journal of social issues"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0304865.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"366","DOI":"10.1089\/pop.2013.0118","article-title":"The urban homeless: super-users of the emergency department.","volume":"17","author":"BS Ku","year":"2014","journal-title":"Popul Health Manag."},{"issue":"21","key":"pone.0304865.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11660","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182111660","article-title":"Homelessness and public health: A focus on strategies and solutions.","volume":"18","author":"DA Sleet","year":"2021","journal-title":"International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0304865.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1381","DOI":"10.1002\/jcop.22332","article-title":"Risk factors for homelessness: A structural equation approach","volume":"48","author":"K. 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