Mass General clinic saves limbs by treating unhoused
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- Massachusetts General Hospital launches a quarterly clinic for unhoused people with vascular disease, co-led by vascular surgeon Anahita Dua and the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program
- Anahita Dua warns patient Carlton Haynes that without immediate surgical wound treatment, he faces near-certain amputation due to a severe leg infection
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program refers patients to the Mass General clinic, which offers same-day access to specialists, imaging, and wound care in one visit
- Carlton Haynes, 56, is wheeled to the ER for urgent leg wound surgery after being treated at the clinic, highlighting the program’s harm-reduction approach by accommodating his request for a final cigarette
Why it matters: Unhoused patients with vascular disease often lose limbs due to delayed care; this clinic cuts through systemic gaps by delivering coordinated treatment in one visit, reducing amputation risk and ER reliance. The model shifts resources upstream, where prevention is cheaper and more effective.
