Ashlee Murray

Imagine you are sitting naked with nothing but a thin gown between you and the starchy white sheets of a hospital bed. Your doctor stands at a distance, with their back turned, asks you the following questions: “Do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you feel safe at home?” We suspect many readers do not need to imagine this scenario because they have experienced it. Did you feel comfortable in that moment? Did you feel safe?

1 Azar KMJ Shen Z Romanelli RJ et al. Disparities In Outcomes Among COVID-19 Patients in A Large Health Care System In California. Low-income families are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with greater viral exposure and deepening economic strain. , 2 Vesoulis A.Coronavirus May Disproportionately Hurt the Poor—And That's Bad for Everyone. Accordingly, demand for resources in multiple domains including food, housing, and mental health has risen throughout the United States.

Lauren A. Houdek VonHoltz, MD, MPH, Danielle Cullen, MD, MPH and Ashlee Murray, MD, MPH | Physician | July 17, 2020 Working within the nation’s poorest large city, our pediatric emergency department (ED) serves as a safety net for the most vulnerable.