The study published in the Journal of Primary Care and Community Health evaluated records from 2019 to 2022 and found that offering veterinary care at integrated clinics helped connect youth experiencing homelessness to human health services. The research examined clients of the One Health Clinic, a downtown Seattle program that pairs services for people and animals. The clinic is a seven-year collaboration between Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Washington Center for One Health Research and operates every second and fourth Wednesday.
With clinical oversight from a Neighborcare Health nurse practitioner and a WSU veterinarian, WSU fourth-year veterinary students work alongside health sciences students from UW’s University District Street Medicine club. The study, led by Natalie Rejto, showed that nearly 80% of visits to the integrated clinics resulted in clients receiving human health care, even though 69% had intended to seek care only for their pets. Of 88 human clients in the study period, 75 saw a health care provider and 40 established care for the first time in at least two years.
More than 50% of human patients had not seen a doctor in over two years; of those, 85% went on to schedule nonemergency follow-up appointments. Overall, 85% of clients attended at least one nonemergency follow-up within two years. Veterinarian Katie Kuehl said offering veterinary care helped owners engage with health care and that building trust through pets made people more likely to seek care for themselves. Rejto called the clinic an important entry point and noted clear demand: visits totaled about 300 between May 2024 and May 2025. She suggested further study of health care and preventative care costs, and exploring ways to expand access to preventative services for people and their animals.
Difficult words
- integrated — joined so services work together
- oversight — supervision and responsibility for work
- collaboration — work done together by different groups
- establish — start or set up something so it continuesestablished
- preventative — intended to stop illness before it starts
- follow-up — a later appointment to check progress
- entry point — a first place where people get services
- engage — to become involved or take part
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might offering veterinary care improve access to human health services in your community? Give reasons and examples.
- What challenges could clinics face when they try to expand integrated services for people and their animals?
- Which preventative services for people and for animals should integrated clinics add first, and why?
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