I would like to take a moment to recognize the great work of Aretha Lewis and M, a social worker. Recently, a patient came into our emergency department for an acute medical issue, where we discovered that he was homeless. He arrived on our Short Stay Unit, and he was a delight to care for. We consulted the social work team to work to assist with discharge placement, which he declined.

That’s where Aretha came in. She spent time with him, listening to him and talking about his reluctance to go to a shelter. After a discussion, he agreed for Aretha to contact social workers on his behalf.

M did an amazing job. She worked to reconnect him with his family after 30 years and help him gain access to his existing bank accounts. Both his daughter and son came to pick him up and were so grateful, as his daughter had multiple unsuccessful attempts to locate him. At discharge, M provided him with clothing.

This is a wonderful example of how our team collaborates to provide improved outcomes for all patients. Without this collaboration, he would have remained homeless.

It was a joyous and emotional event that makes all of us proud to be a part of VCU’s team. Kudos to Matrese and Aretha!